London, England – March 25, 2022 – The seminal showdown between top cruiserweight prospects is now official as both Richard ‘The Midnight Train’ Riakporhe (13-0, 9 KO’s) and Deion Jumah (14-0, 7 KO’s) made weight today for the main event fight atop tomorrow night’s BOXXER London: Riakporhe vs Jumah card.
Taking place at London’s OVO Arena Wembley and airing live and exclusively on Sky Sports, the headline clash brings to the boil a rivalry which has simmered between the former sparring partners for several years.
Two undefeated records are on the line when the capital’s undefeated cruiserweights collide and, with Riakporhe is on track for world title contention in 2022, a win for Jumah would be a career-breakout moment and open the door to big opportunities.
“He’s been talking a good game and he’s undefeated, but once I start letting my hands go I don’t think he’s got the condition to withstand the punishment,” said Riakporhe at yesterday’s press conference.
“I’m the superior boxer for sure and if he wants to offload [power shots] the way he has done in the past, then I’ve got something for him,” Jumah retorted.
Also on weight are light-heavyweights Dan Azeez (15-0, 10 KO’s) and Reece Cartwright (23-2, 14 KO’s), with Azeez putting his undefeated record on the line against the former WBC International Light-Heavyweight Championship challenger in the chief support slot.
With Cartwright – also the former British Middleweight Champion – stepping in to replace Matthew Tinker, who was forced to withdraw yesterday for medical reasons, Azeez sees the fight as an opportunity to prove he can handle anyone at any time.
“It’s a late change of opponent but to me it makes no difference. I’m the best light-heavyweight in the country and I’m ready to prove that against anyone on a moment’s notice. Reece Cartwright is tough and game but he’s taking nothing from me on Saturday night except a loss,” he said.
Cartwright had been due to compete elsewhere in the UK next weekend and so is fully fit and ready to seize an opportunity which could not only place a championship belt around his waist but also open the door to future big career opportunities.
“I’m fit and ready to fight. I was boxing on my promoter Dennis Hobson’s show next week but when this opportunity came up we jumped at it,” said Cartwright, who holds four stoppage victories from his last five wins.
“I rate Dan Azeez, he’s a quality fighter and he’s the British champion. I saw what he did to Hosea Burton, but I believe I’m more experienced than him and I’ve got it in me to beat him.
“Don’t think that I’m coming in to make up the numbers. I don’t do that – I’m coming to win tomorrow night.”
“Rhys Cartwright was due to box next week and now looks to take advantage of a massive opportunity on a big stage. He’s got great pedigree, great record and he’s coming to win. We’re delighted he has taken this opportunity on short notice,” said Ben Shalom, BOXXER Founder and CEO.
Having successfully entered the pro ranks with an emphatic win in Cardiff last month, Olympian Caroline Dubois (1-0) – who went 37-3 as an amateur – returns for her second professional contest, facing Hungarian veteran Martina Horgasz.
Lightning-fast lightweight Adam Azim (3-0, 2 KO’s) – one of the top prospects in British boxing today – faces Conor Marsden (5-1, 2 KO’s), while his brother Hassan Azim (2-0, 1 KO) – equally highly regarded – has a four-round contest in the welterweight division against Bulgaria’s Yoncho Markov (4-3, 2 KO’s).
Trained by renowned coach Ben Davison, who counts Undisputed World Super-Lightweight Champion Josh Taylor among his stable, Former WBO Global Welterweight Champion Chris ‘2 Slick’ Kongo (12-1, 7 KO’s) kicks off his world title campaign with tomorrow night’s fight against experienced Spaniard Kelvin Dotel (14-6, 7 KO’s).
A second Spanish opponent will be opposite one of Davison’s fighters when his heavyweight prospect Jeamie TKV makes his professional debut against Alvaro Terrero (5-15, 3 KO’s). TKV’s highly-decorated amateur career included tenure as the Southern Area Heavyweight Champion and English Heavyweight Champion plus a silver medal at the 2019 African Games.
Southampton’s Joe Pigford (18-0, 17 KO’s) – owner of some of the heaviest hands in British boxing – seeks to add yet another stoppage win to his unbelievable record when he faces Argentina’s David Romero (12-14, 5 KO’s). Pigford presently has 94% of his victories by way of KO or TKO.
The 18-year-old Team England amateur standout Jimmy Lee – winner of eight national titles and a European gold medal – makes his professional debut in a lightweight contest against Jose Hernandez after ending his amateur career with a 94% win ratio (47-3).
The vacant English welterweight championship is on the line in what promises to be a hard-fought, all-action encounter between proven battlers Louis Greene (13-2, 7 KO’s) and Harry Scarff (10-2, 3 KO’s).
Opening the card will be Anthony Joshua’s female prospect Shannon Ryan, making her professional debut. Joshua signed the super-flyweight to his 258 MGMT agency recently and intends to guide her to world champion status in the coming years. She faces Slovakia’s Claudia Ferenczi (20-89, 10 KO’s).
Tickets for this event are on sale at BOXXER.com
SKY SPORTS BOXING FACEBOOK STREAM: 17.00 approx
FIGHT #1
4×2 Mins Super-Flyweight Contest
SHANNON RYAN 8st (112lb) v CLAUDIA FERENCZI 8st 7lb (119lb)
FIGHT #2
4×3 Mins Welterweight Contest
HASSAN AZIM 10st 9lb (149lb) v YONCHO MARKOV 11st 1lb (155lb)
FIGHT #3
6×3 Mins Super-Welterweight Contest
JOE PIGFORD 11st 1lb (155lb) v DAVID ROMERO 11st 2lb (156lb)
FIGHT #4
8×3 Mins Welterweight Contest
CHRIS KONGO 10st 12lb (152lb) v KELVIN DOTEL 10st 7lb (147lb)
FIGHT #5
4×3 Mins Super-Featherweight Contest
JIMMY LEE 9st 2lb (128lb) v JOSE HERNANDEZ 9st (126lb)
19:30 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS MAIN EVENT
FIGHT #6
6×2 Mins Lightweight Contest
CAROLINE DUBOIS 9st 10lb (136lb) v MARTINA HORGASZ 9st 8lb (134lb)
FIGHT #7
10×3 Mins English Welterweight Title Contest
LOUIS GREENE 10st 6lbs (146lb) v HARRY SCARFF 10st 6lb (146lb)
FIGHT #8
8×3 Mins Lightweight Contest
ADAM AZIM 9st 12lb (138lb) v CONOR MARSDEN 9st 10lb (136lb)
FIGHT #9
10×3 Mins Light-Heavyweight Contest
DAN AZEEZ 12st 8½lb (176½lb) v REECE CARTWRIGHT 12st 9lb (177lb)
FIGHT #10
12×3 Mins Cruiserweight Contest
RICHARD RIAKPORHE 14st 4lb (200lb) v DEION JUMAH 14st 5lbs (187lb)
TV SWING
FIGHT #11
4×3 Mins Welterweight Contest
JEAMIE TKV 17st (238lb) v ALVARO TERRERO 17st 1lb (239lb)
