ON August 8 Jai Opetaia and Richard Riakporhe will find out if their respective promoters have provided enough funding to give their fight a significant advantage.
The two cruiserweights have been mandated by the IBF, whose belt is currently held by Opetaia, to face each other.
After Mateusz Masternak pulled out as the mandatory challenger, Richard Riakporhe became the next in line. The 33-year-old has been in great form since joining Ben Shalom and Boxxer in 2021. With five wins in two years, the unbeaten Londoner has emerged as a top contender in the 200lbs division. ‘The Midnight Train’ secured a contract extension with Shalom in May.
Opetaia’s career has stagnated since his impressive victory over former cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis last summer. This upset showcased the Australian’s skills and toughness, as he managed to win with a fractured jaw.
Issues outside the ring have hindered the champion’s progress after his famous victory. However, the 28-year-old’s fortunes took a positive turn this month when he partnered with Eddie Hearn, who has signed several fighters from Down Under in the past two years.
“No one wants to fight Jai, and that’s the problem – they know they’ll lose,” said Opetaia’s manager Mick Francis to AAP.
“It doesn’t matter if they fight on the Gold Coast, in the UK, or on the moon. He’s the toughest cruiserweight we’ve seen, and no one has genuinely challenged Jai, ever.”
The purse bids on August 8 will once again pit Matchroom against Boxxer, following the debacle in May that led to the cancellation of a fight between British heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke. If Hearn’s team wins next month, then the Opetaia vs Riakporhe bout is likely to take place in Australia. If Shalom comes out on top, Riakporhe will have the home advantage in England.
“You have two of the biggest boxing powerhouses in the UK competing against each other, so there is plenty of pride at stake to make this fight happen,” Francis said.
“Eddie has expressed his desire to hold the event in Australia and feature Justis [Huni] on the undercard.
“He also has Stevie Spark at Matchroom and Conor Wallace… we could put together a massive, high-quality card, and I know the Gold Coast wants to become the boxing capital of Australia.”