Jai Opetaia v Jordan Thompson

[Master]

Jai Opetaia has been instructed to defend his IBF cruiserweight world title against Richard Riakporhe next.

After Poland's Mateusz Masternak pulled out of a purse bid for his shot at the title, the IBF mandated London's Riakporhe as the next challenger for their championship.

There will be a period of time to allow a deal to be reached before that fight goes to purse bids.

Australia's Opetaia was exceptional when he toppled Mairis Briedis to win the IBF belt last year. But he broke his jaw in that fight and also need an operation on his shoulder. Those injuries mean he hasn't boxed since last July.

Taking to social media, Opetaia lambasted Masternak, declaring: "What a waste of time. He used to be a good fighter, now he's a has-been. I would've retired him. If you don't want the smoke, why waste the last few months talking [rubbish]?"

But he must now turn his attention to Riakporhe.

The Londoner has become a leading cruiserweight contender. He is the only man to have handed Chris Billam-Smith, now the WBO cruiserweight champion, a professional loss. Riakporhe knocked out former WBO titlist Krzysztof Glowacki in his last fight as he rose to the No 2 position in the IBF rankings.

His promoter Ben Shalom told Sky Sports: "Richard's got a big world title opportunity next."

Riakporhe has had an eye on a rematch with Billam-Smith and any other championship opportunities.

"I think Riakporhe versus Billam-Smith would be perfect as a unification. I think that's a huge fight, whether it's next or not," Shalom said.

"But Richard will fight for a world title next."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...d48bf49&ei=187

[TIC]

mateusz masternak ducking for the easier option. didn't lawrence have a rematch clause? does that mean he's off to heavyweight?

[Master]

ormer WBC cruiserweight world champion Bellew believes this opportunity has come too early in Riakporhe's career.

"I like Richard and he’s coming on nicely but this may be a step too far too soon!" Bellew said on Twitter.

"Opetaia is a very good fighter who can do a lot of things well!

"I’d of [sic] targeted another champion and maybe caught this one in another 12 months? Really brave decision from Richard."

https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/1...d-title-fight/

[TIC]

this fight could happen on august twenty third in oz

[Master]

British cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe has vacated his position as mandatory challenger to Jai Opetaia's IBF title.

Purse bids for the world title fight were due to take place on Tuesday.

Riakporhe, 33, said he had previously accepted two fight offers to contest the belt.

"I missed out on other opportunities, which has left me inactive. It is clear other parties were simply trying to disrupt my journey, which I won't let happen," Riakporhe said.

"I have chosen to go a different route and will be sharing news of another world title opportunity very soon."

Londoner Riakporhe last fought in January when he stopped Krzysztof Glowacki in four rounds in Manchester and was made mandatory challenger to Opetaia's belt in July.

Opetaia has been out of action since July 2022, partly due to a shoulder injury, but signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom last month.

Riakporhe is aligned with Ben Shalom's Boxxer and a purse bid would have given both promoters the opportunity to bid to stage the fight.

Opetaia, 28, is unbeaten in 22 fights and won the IBF title in his last contest against Mairis Briedis.

Undefeated Riakporhe is ranked as number one contender with the WBO, a belt held by his British rival and former opponent Chris Billam-Smith.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/66437940

[TIC]

another guy ducking jai. mairis will step up again

[Master]

another guy ducking jai. mairis will step up again

Riakporhe beats Jai, there is no avoiding he wants a title to face the winner Smith/Okolie.

[TIC]

another guy ducking jai. mairis will step up again

Riakporhe beats Jai, there is no avoiding he wants a title to face the winner Smith/Okolie.

duck. jai beats richard. there is avoiding. team richard pulled out on the day of the purse bid

[TIC]

mairis is apparently out injured. jai is said to be making a voluntary defense against jordan thompson on september thirtieth

[TIC]

mairis is apparently out injured. jai is said to be making a voluntary defense against jordan thompson on september thirtieth

[Master]

British boxer Jordan Thompson will face Jai Opetaia for the IBF cruiserweight title at OVO Arena Wembley next month.

Thompson, 30, has won all 15 of his professional fights but faces a tough test against Opetaia on 30 September.

The Australian is unbeaten in 22 bouts, winning 17 of those by knockout, and became world champion by outpointing Mairis Briedis in July last year.

"This is my time now and the world will see that. I'm going to win," Manchester-born Thompson said.

"Opetaia is the recognised number one in the division and the best guy out there - that's why he's the one I want."

London-born fighter Ellie Scotney will make the maiden defence of her IBF super-bantamweight crown on the undercard, taking on Argentina's Laura Soledad Griffa.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/66588896

[TIC]

[Spicoli]

Anyone seen Thompson fight before? Scenario has upset potential with prior opponents falling out for Opetaia, coming off surgery and first time fighting out of Oz. Too bad we canceled Dazn last year .

[Master]

Jordan Thompson seems confident and relaxed. He is a big puncher who has not had the experience of fighting at the world class level but certain circumstances have led to this big opportunity.

Jai was brilliant winning the title but he has been injured and thus inactive which sells the fight.

Looking forward to this contest.

[Master]

Jordan Thompson's boyhood fantasy of serving for championship point at Wimbledon never came to fruition, but the cruiserweight from Manchester is just one punch away from becoming British boxing's newest world champion.

The 30-year-old - undefeated in 15 pro bouts - challenges Australia's IBF world champion Jai Opetaia at Wembley's OVO Arena on Saturday.

Thompson is perched on the brink of world honours and the limelight it brings, but tennis was his "first love".

"I was top 10 in the under-16s and under-18s nationally," he explains. "I was number one in Lancashire for a while. I travelled the world, up and down the United Kingdom. I loved it."

Aged 18, however, he retired the racket. It was not for a lack of trying or potential.

"A lot of sponsorship was needed and it was tough to get," Thompson says. "That was the main reason I couldn't fulfil my potential - a lack of funding.

"I come from a hard-working family. I never went without food in my belly or a roof over my head, but I didn't have the luxury of a millionaire funding my tennis career."

When Neil Diamond's 'Sweet Caroline' is belted out by boxing fans on Saturday, it will be worlds apart from the sound of champagne corks popping at Wimbledon.

But Thompson can draw plenty of similarities between boxing and tennis.

"They are actually very, very similar sports," he says. "Both do end up in your head a little bit, they're emotionally volatile.

"You may have your team, but you have to rely on yourself when you're in battle. The ups and downs, the twists and turns. You can be match point up, have a bad game and then suddenly you're match point down.

"Same in boxing - everything can be going right and next thing you have taken a shot and you're on your back."

Like many young athletes, Thompson struggled mentally with rejection and the harsh realisation his sporting dreams may be left unfulfilled.

"I didn't know what to do with myself. I was lost, searching for answers about myself and life," he says. "I didn't have a job, I wasn't working. I was just in the gym, training."

That was before he "literally fell into boxing" after being told by a friend he could earn a bit of money by competing.

"Boxing just happened to find me, rather than me finding boxing," he adds. "As I got more and more involved, people told me I had a bit of natural talent and ability."

Having kept up with the physical demands of tennis, the 6ft 7in Thompson was introduced by family friend and boxing trainer Haroon Headley to a professional gym and embarked on a "two-year apprenticeship" to learn the craft.

"I remember sparring with professional boxers preparing for British title shots when I was an absolute raw novice and still holding my own," he says.

But Thompson's foray into pugilism and subsequent success perhaps should come as no surprise.

His parents, Geoff and Janice Thompson, are former karate world champions. Excellence runs in the family, in fact.

His sister is a West End performer currently in the touring cast of Lion King and Thompson's brother works in finance on New York's Wall Street.

"We're a big-time talented family," he proudly says. "With my mum and dad being in combat sports I was never a stranger to fighting.

"But although there was always a little hint there, I was never that young kid who wanted to become a big-time famous boxer."

'Troublesome' Thompson - he embraces that nickname - has climbed the rankings since turning pro in 2015, earning 12 knockouts. In his last outing, he stopped domestic rival Luke Watkins.

But a shot at Opetaia, who is unbeaten in 22 bouts, came sooner than Thompson or his team expected.

Poland's mandatory challenger Mateusz Masternak withdrew from negotiations, Briton Richard Riakporhe withdrew from the purse bids and former champion Mairis Briedis, next in line, was ruled out through injury.

"It was a tiny bit of a shock, but I've worked my way up the rankings," Thompson says.

"I've won the IBF international belt, European belt. Whatever happened with the other boxers passing up the opportunity, I was next on the list.

"There are a few people out there saying I'm not deserving of it, but I've done what I've need to do, won my fights. I feel like the shot has been earned."

Opetaia, making a first defence of the title he won again Briedis last year, is a strong favourite.

"Nothing great comes from comfort zones," Thompson adds. "To go in there as an underdog, that means a lot to me.

"I've got a load of people to prove wrong, but I also have a lot of people who have stuck by me, so I have those to prove right."

Thompson feels a win over Opetaia can lead to further, more lucrative, contests - perhaps an all-British unification fight against WBO champion Chris Billam-Smith.

"This is the fight where I can secure that belt and lock in those real big fights, against those big names, domestically or world scene," Thompson says.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/66784782