Unbeaten Cruiserweight Contender, London’s Richard Riakporhe (14-0 at the time of the original article’s publication) was set to face Italy’s Fabio Turchi (20-1) in a reschedule of their March 26 fight at the OVO Arena, Wembley on June 11, 2022, live on Sky Sports Boxing. The highly anticipated world title eliminator was slated to headline a stacked night of boxing, featuring two 50-50 fights and two top prospects.
Riakporhe, fighting under the Boxxer banner, had maintained a tremendous activity level, having boxed three times in just eight months since signing. This impressive run included a knockout victory over Deion Jumah in March 2022 and a fifth-round technical knockout win against Olanrewaju Durodola in November 2021, showcasing his power and intent to climb the cruiserweight ranks. His opponent, Fabio Turchi, presented a solid European-level challenge. Turchi’s sole professional defeat prior to this bout came against Belfast’s Tommy McCarthy in 2019, and he had since racked up three consecutive wins, including victories over Chris Billam-Smith foe Dylan Bregon and Nikolajs Grisunins.
Riakporhe Dominates Turchi in World Title Eliminator
The main event on June 11, 2022, saw Richard Riakporhe continue his impressive unbeaten streak, delivering a powerful statement to the cruiserweight division. The fight began with Riakporhe patiently measuring his opponent, conceding ground in the first round while pawing out his jab. However, the “Midnight Train” quickly found his rhythm. In the second round, Riakporhe unleashed a brutal left hook to the body that sent Turchi crumbling to the canvas. Despite being visibly hurt and wincing in pain, Turchi bravely rose to his feet after the eight-count. However, his corner, recognizing the severity of the blow and their fighter’s compromised state, wisely threw in the towel, prompting referee Steve Gray to stop the fight at 1:53 into the round. Richard Riakporhe secured a decisive victory by technical knockout in the second round, extending his perfect professional record.
This victory was a significant step for Riakporhe, solidifying his position as a serious contender in the IBF cruiserweight rankings and moving him closer to a world title shot. His explosive power, demonstrated by this knockout, proved to be a formidable problem for any opponent in the division. Following this win, Riakporhe continued his ascent, notably securing a fourth-round technical knockout against former two-time WBO cruiserweight world champion Krzysztof Głowacki in January 2023. While he later suffered his first professional defeat in a unanimous decision loss to Chris Billam-Smith in June 2024 for the WBO World Cruiserweight Championship, Riakporhe’s record currently stands at 20 wins and 1 loss, with 16 of his wins coming by knockout.
Undercard Delivers Domestic Thrills and Rising Stars
The undercard for the June 11 event at the OVO Arena, Wembley, was packed with compelling matchups and showcased emerging talent.
English Super-Middleweight Title Clash: Zak Chelli Dethrones Germaine Brown
English Super-Middleweight Champion Germaine Brown (12-0 at the time) made the first defense of his title against former Boxxer winner and Southern Area champion Zak Chelli (11-1-1). Brown had captured the title from Charlie Schofield on the Khan-Brook undercard in February 2022. Chelli, whose sole defeat came to Kody Davies in 2019 and who had a controversial draw with Jack Cullen, presented a tough challenge in this all-London domestic clash. In a hard-fought contest, Zak Chelli emerged victorious, defeating Germaine Brown by unanimous decision to claim the English Super-Middleweight Championship. This result marked Brown’s first professional loss and propelled Chelli further into the domestic super-middleweight spotlight.
Welterweight Battle: Chris Kongo Claims International Silver Title
Dillian Whyte-managed welterweight Chris Kongo (13-1 at the time) met former IBO world champion, Germany’s Sebastian Formella (23-2). Kongo’s only professional defeat had come against Michael McKinson in 2021. Formella was a seasoned opponent, known for taking top fighters like Conor Benn and Shawn Porter the distance in 2020. An international title was on the line, confirmed to be the vacant WBC International Silver Welterweight title. Chris Kongo delivered a strong performance, securing a unanimous decision victory over Sebastian Formella with scores of 97-93, 97-94, and 98-92. This win put Kongo back on track towards challenging at the world level in the welterweight division.
Olympic Gold Medalist Debuts and YouTube Sensation Returns
The event also featured the highly anticipated professional debut of 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist and brand-new Boxxer signing Lauren Price. Price, who made history as the first Welsh boxer of any gender to win an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games, faced Iceland’s Valgerdur Gudstensdottir. Price showcased her exceptional boxing skills and composure, comfortably winning her professional debut by a 60-54 points decision over six rounds. This marked the beginning of what has become a stellar professional career, with Price going on to become an undisputed welterweight world champion, unifying the WBA, WBC, IBF, and IBO titles by March 2025.
Finally, YouTube sensation and undefeated Cruiserweight prospect Viddal Riley (5-0 at the time) returned to the ring, looking to build up his activity and continue his ascent. Riley faced Jone Volau on the undercard. Riley delivered a dominant performance, stopping Volau by knockout in the first round. This victory further cemented Riley’s potential in the cruiserweight division. He has since continued his undefeated run, amassing a record of 14 wins with 7 knockouts, and has gone on to capture both the British and European cruiserweight titles.
Boxxer was also expected to have a show the week before on June 4, which was to be announced soon.
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