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UK Boxing

Richard Riakporhe sends chilling warning to Chris Billam-Smith over mind games – EXCLUSIVE

Published

7 months ago

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Richard Riakporhe has warned Chris Billam-Smith that there is no point in playing mind games with him ahead of their world title clash on Saturday night. Both fighters will fight for the WBO cruiserweight title in front of a packed house at Selhurst Park.

Preparations for the fight were tense, and Riakporhe hoped to become world champion for the first time after winning all 17 of his professional fights to date. Speaking exclusively to Express Sport, he accused Billam-Smith of playing mind games, but warned that any attempt to throw him off balance would not have the desired effect.

“I noticed on his part, when we were doing The Gloves Are Off and when we had the press conference, he seemed quite spry, which was a bit strange,” Riakporhe said.

“I’ve never seen him like this before. I don’t know if maybe this is a little strategy he and his team are trying to utilize to try to get into my mind. But they don’t understand what type of opponent they have. If they did, they wouldn’t bother.”

The two cruiserweights have met in the ring once before, with Riakporhe winning a split decision over Billam-Smith five years ago. However, he takes no consolation from his previous victory, knowing that Billam-Smith has learned from his past mistakes.

“We put the victory aside where it was, wiped the slate spotless and focused on the up-to-date task ahead of us,” Riakporhe explained. “Chris Billam-Smith has improved and is not the same player as before. Honestly, I think we approached this fight like any other fight.

“The opponent is me, that’s what I always thought. When I can beat myself in every way and in every way, then I can’t be beat. That’s the confidence we take into these fights.

“That’s why we always smile during fight week, we always laugh and joke, because we know it’s just another day at the office. That’s what we do. We are well prepared.”

Riakporhe is a keen Crystal Palace supporter and will have the unequivocal support of the Selhurst Park crowd on Saturday night. Growing up in south London, he believes Billam-Smith may struggle to cope with the pressure of being an away player.

“When I hit the large shots, everyone will be screaming and saying, ‘Richard, take him away,’ and that will affect his energy level,” he said.

“Energy is a very critical thing when it comes to everything in life, especially during these fights. If the energy is high, it is almost like momentum. It just keeps coming and growing and growing, and it’s tough to overcome. you’re playing against everyone, you know? You’re playing not just with me, but with the whole of South London. We all want Riakporhe to win.

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UK Boxing

Jake Paul’s body language speaks volumes when he comes face to face with Conor McGregor

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12 hours ago

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January 20, 2025

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Jake Paul seemed noticeably disinterested as he and his older brother Logan were on the same bus as their fierce rival, former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor.

The three were connected on Monday before Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington. The 78-year-old is scheduled to be sworn in today as the 47th president of the United States, eight years after he first took the oath of office.

Due to the presence of many stars at this historic event, emotions are still growing. However, fans were stunned when McGregor was seen posing next to the Paul brothers and riding in the same vehicle. Both Jake and his older brother Logan were accompanied to the ceremony by their mother, Pam Stepnick.

In a post sent to X – formerly known as Twitter – ‘The Problem Child’ shocked the combat sports community after posting a photo of the Irishman sitting behind him and his brother. Jake captioned the photo: “Inauguration going great.” One user responded to the snapshot: “I never thought I’d see a photo like this, with all the beef over the years,” while another wrote: “I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”

Despite the ongoing feud between brothers Paul and McGregor, it seems like “The Problem Child” wasn’t too concerned about being in the same distance as the UFC legend.

The photo surfaced shortly after Jake decided to take a swipe at McGregor online and posted: “Now it all makes sense why Conor Mcgregor and his management team were desperately trying to get MVP to negotiate a fight between us. As we’ve told them privately and now I’m saying it publicly… the only way we’re willing to compare me to Conor in a professional boxing/MMA fight is if Dana White/UFC are directly at the table or make it clear that everything ok with the discussions. Conor needs Logan if he wants.

Despite Paul’s choice of words, it seems the Irishman is more focused on his older brother Logan. Last month, it was reported that McGregor was negotiating to fight Paul’s older sibling. On the way to I have made preliminary arrangements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul at a boxing event in India. I have agreed, and then I will try to return to the octagon.”

Even though “The Maverick” recently joined WWE, the tempting offer of going toe-to-toe with McGregor might just lure him back to the boxing ring. The 29-year-old directly approached Ari Emanuel, the head of Endeavor, owner of the UFC and WWE, for a chance to face “The Notorious”. In a video uploaded to YouTube, “The Maverick” and Emanuel can be seen warmly hugging and shaking hands before saying, “Ari, I need one favor from you,” to which the Endeavor boss replied, “Yes.” Paul made the following request: “I want you to give me the green featherlight to fight Conor.” There was a shared laugh and they both said “seriously.”

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UK Boxing

“Anthony Joshua is finished and I would love to withdraw him,” says his rival

Published

16 hours ago

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January 20, 2025

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Whyte wants to run it back with Joshua Photo Credit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing

UK Boxing

Anthony Taylor collapsed minutes after Darren Till KO and viewers were left terrified

Published

2 days ago

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January 19, 2025

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There were disturbing scenes during the last Misfits Boxing gala in Manchester on Saturday evening when Anthony Taylor collapsed after being stopped by fellow MMA fighter Darren Till.

The American took up the fight shortly after Tommy Fury withdrew, but he was no match for Till, who dominated from the very beginning.

In his first boxing fight, the Liverpudlian looked outstanding from the bell, displaying impressive hand speed and having no trouble countering Taylor’s aggressive approach.

Threatening to KO from the start, Till secured a stoppage in the sixth round.

But what happened next shocked those who watched the event. Taylor, who entered the fight with a 7-4 boxing record, broke down in post-fight interviews. He was later taken away from the Co-Op Arena in a wheelchair.

Many assumed that Taylor was then taken to the hospital for tests. However, according to Ariel Helwani, after being given oxygen and found to be stable, he was allowed to return to his accommodation.

Misfits co-founder Mams Taylor later confirmed that Taylor had regained consciousness. He also said Taylor did not need a hospital visit because he was “conscious and well” when he entered the locker room.

He later posted a video on social media in which he spoke clearly and promised to bounce back from the shocking defeat. “It’s OK, I took the L (loss) like a motherfucker,” he said.

“I’ll be back. I’m fine. Thank you all for your love and support, thank you to everyone who makes fun of me too. I don’t give a damn. I deserve it. But at the end of the day, I’ll fucking come back.”

“Pretty Boy,” who has a professional MMA record of 7-5 but has not fought since August 2019, also took aim at Fury. WX wrote, “Now we know why Tommy Fury backed out,” along with two laughing emojis.

The Misfits Boxing 20 main event was only organized after the Manchester fighter withdrew. The younger brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson stated that he was not content with Till’s claim that he would resort to “MMA tactics” if he lost the fight.

Do later denied that he wasn’t stern when giving the warning, saying it was simply a marketing tactic. It wasn’t until December 29 that it was confirmed that Taylor had stepped in as a replacement.

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