IBF Orders Cruiserweight Battle Between Jai Opetaia and Richard Riakporhe
Next up for Great Britain’s Richard Riakporhe (16-0, 12 KOs) will be a world title fight. That’s because the IBF has ordered a match between him and IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia (22-0, 17 KOs).
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
The IBF champion was previously in negotiations to face number-one contender Mateusz Masternak. However, Masternak pulled out before a scheduled IBF purse bid. After hearing about Masternak’s decision, an incensed Opetaia took to social media to voice his outrage.
With Riakporhe ranked #2 by the IBF, he falls next in line. Opetaia – Riakporhe will now head to a July 14 purse bid unless the two fighters can agree to a deal.
Opetaia won the IBF strap in July 2022 after scoring a unanimous decision victory over Mairis Briedis. But the 27-year-old has been idle since winning the title. He took time off to recover from breaking his jaw during his win over Briedis. Then Opetaia was involved in a nasty legal battle with former promoter Dean Lonergan. After winning a court battle against Lonergan in March 2023, the IBF champion is ready to get back in the ring.
It’s going to be Riakhporhe’s first world title try. The 33-year-old is riding a wave of confidence and feels more than ready for this opportunity. He has a win over reigning WBO champion Chris Billam-Smith. In his last outing, Riakporhe scored a fourth-round stoppage over former WBO champion Krzysztof Glowacki in January 2023.
Opetaia is an athletic southpaw with outstanding boxing skills. Riakhporhe is a rough, physically strong fighter who likes to take the fight to his opponents. This battle is one of the more intriguing fights in the division. Stay tuned to 3kingsboxing.com for additional updates.
