February 10th 2025.
At a press conference in Manchester on Monday, British boxers Lawrence Okolie and Richard Riakporhe faced off ahead of their upcoming heavyweight showdown in April. The two Londoners have a history of animosity, going back to a confrontation at the Creed III premiere in London last year. Despite the tension, Okolie maintained that he did not mean to disrespect Riakporhe and that the altercation was sparked by a comment about Madonna's age. Riakporhe, on the other hand, gave his rival a death stare and joked about being scared of a "big hug" that might suffocate him.
While Riakporhe has made a name for himself as a top cruiserweight in the country, he has also dabbled in modeling and has even become friends with Madonna. In fact, the "Queen of Pop" shared a picture of them together last year. Riakporhe spoke highly of Madonna, saying she is a great person and good company. However, after suffering a defeat in his maiden world title shot against Chris Billam-Smith, Riakporhe has now moved up to the heavyweight division to establish himself among the sport's biggest names.
Similarly, Okolie also suffered a loss to Billam-Smith, which saw him lose his WBO cruiserweight title. His fighting style has also been criticized in the past, with some accusing him of holding onto his opponents too much. Despite these setbacks, both Okolie and Riakporhe have now moved up to the heavyweight division and are determined to make a name for themselves in this weight class.
Their upcoming fight on April 5th at the Co-op Live Arena is part of a huge heavyweight card that also features Joe Joyce and Dillian Whyte. It is clear that both boxers are ready to put on a great show and prove themselves as top contenders in the heavyweight division. Only time will tell who will come out on top, but one thing is for sure: this is a highly anticipated fight that fans won't want to miss.
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