Watch Richard Riakporhe take on Deion Jumah at Wembley live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event on Saturday; Caroline Dubois, Adam Azim and Dan Azeez also in action
Saturday 26 March 2022 19:33, UK
Richard Riakporhe cannot take Deion Jumah for granted when he puts his world title ambitions on the line at Wembley Arena on Saturday, says Sky Sports Boxing's Johnny Nelson and Matthew Macklin...
Sky Sports Boxing's Johnny Nelson...
Jumah - more fights less knockouts. Riakporhe - less fights more knockouts. I think a loss for Riakporhe would be more damaging than it would to Jumah.
In the press conference Riakporhe was trying to allude to why Jumah hasn't really done much from being a professional since 2013.
Maybe he knows more than he's actually saying. Jumah is a great talker, he's got Gary Logan in his corner, Gary knows what he's doing.
This is a great chance for Jumah, I need to understand why he's only had 14 fights since 2014. I'd personally think it's him, that desire. But this might be that fight that shows whether he wants it or not, because if he does he can box a lot more than this.
Richard Riakporhe is tall, rangy, he's hungry, he wants the title. Jumah, because he's been under the radar, we don't know enough about him, Saturday night will tell us.
I think Richard Riakporhe doesn't have the confidence to match his ability, I think there's more to come from him. This is a great fight for him.
It will either be one of his sensational knockouts for him or a biggest nightmare. It's going to be a good fight all round.
Sky Sports Boxing's Matthew Macklin...
You've got to make Riakporhe favourite because he's had the better wins, he's got the continuity and momentum and the one thing that has plagued him a little bit is that period of inactivity, but I think he's making up for it now by getting busy.
Like I say, he's got the better wins and the better resume but he can't afford to overlook Jumah because he sparred him so I don't think he'll fear him, he won't be overawed by him.
It's an opportunity isn't it, he's 32-years-old, he must be thinking 'wow, Christmas has come'. If you're looking to jump the queue this is the sort of scalp he needs and he believes in himself at this point, he should roll the dice.
He's coming into it not with pressure on him but big aspirations and expectations of himself, so he's confident. You could see that with him.
Riakporhe, great power, he's improving all the time, but a couple of times I've watched him he's a bit apprehensive, he's not the busiest. You see that sometimes with power punchers that are explosive, they don't need to throw as many, but he's just got to be conscious that he doesn't look for a knockout too much because he could get figured out, that would be the biggest worry for me.
So long as Riakporhe approaches it mentally the right way, focused, relaxed, switched on, doesn't try too hard for the knockout, I think he will win the fight.
I don't think he has to win by knockout. I think if he tries to go for the knockout he could start loading up, he could start telegraphing his shots and he could get picked off a bit. He's just got to approach it the same you would any other fight, focused, relaxed, have the game plan and execute it.
I'd definitely make Riakporhe the favourite, but I wouldn't be shocked beyond belief if Jumah pulled off the upset.
