Richard Riakporhe says the time is right to fight Lawrence Okolie given their history.
Richard Riakporhe speaks to iFL TV about his upcoming April 5 fight against Lawrence Okolie and what’s the deal with his supposed beef with his opponent. Riakporhe himself doesn’t appear to have a genuine personal vendetta against Okolie but says he is a bit agitated with Okolie acting out in public at a 2023 movie premier. Here’s some of what Riakporhe had to say below.
Riakporhe on why he’s facing Okolie
“I think it just makes the most sense. A lot of history, I got an opportunity, good numbers. Why not? I feel like the fight was going to happen anyway. When? I didn’t know, and it’s come, the opportunity has come and it just makes sense. Now is the time.”
On moving up to heavyweight for this fight
“I’ve always been mixing it with the heavier guys, I understand what it’s about. I understand the weights, I’ve always been around Dillian (Whyte) as you know, Dillian has been a mentor to me coming up in the game and I’ve seen him do his camps, I know what it’s about.
“And Okolie, at the same time, even though Okolie’s a heavyweight and he had an introduction (to the weight class), he had a one-round introduction, not a lot of experience. We don’t know what he looks like if it goes past four, goes past five. You don’t know how I would look, so it’s kind of perfect timing at the same time. We don’t really know.”
On if there is any actual beef between Okolie and himself
“Me personally, I feel that there is a bit of needle. It went viral what happened at the cinema. I don’t know him, if he’s putting on a persona, if he’s really about that life — I don’t know because I understand you’re a boxer but don’t try to come outside and try to act like a bad boy because I don’t believe he’s like that. I think he’s a good guy.”
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