April fifth, in support of Whyte vs. Joyce on DAZN. Ten rounds scheduled at heavyweight. This will sound like hyperbole but please believe this is meant from the bottom of my soul: this could very well be the worst fight of all time. Certainly in British history. I've dreaded the very notion of this match-up since both were rising undefeated cruiserweight prospects. Ironically, both would lose their zeroes to Chris Billam-Smith prior to moving up to HW - first Okolie by MD in May of 2023 and then Riakporhe by UD in their rematch thirteen months later (Riakporhe had originally defeated CBS via SD in 2019). Other common opponents: Krzysztof Henryk Głowacki - lost against Okolie via KO6 in 2021 and to Riakporhe via TKO4 in 2023. Daniel Adam Williams - lost against Okolie via TKO3 in 2017 and to Riakporhe via the same result five months later. Both of the (to put it mildly) clinch-prone Londoners stand at 6'5". Okolie has a 5½″ reach advantage.
Honestly, I think it may be pretty good. Okolie has shown power at HW, and Riakporhe is only likely to win by KO realistically, so maybe they both go for it
Decent matchmaking, about where they should be. Okolie should win this, I hope he is still committed to his new more active and entertaining style and doesn't go back to his octopus ways.
Fingers crossed that it turns out something like Hughie Fury vs Mariuz Wach - a horrendous fight on paper, but a fun and sloppy brawl in reality.
They can both honestly crack, even if they fought at CW for a while. Not convinced by Riakporhes work-rate even at CW, can't see it getting much better at HW. Okolie is more accustomed at HW than Riakporhe IMO, Okolie is horrible to watch but he is quite effective at making it his fight. I think Okolie will stop a gassed out Riakporhe late.
