Richard Riakporhe’s withdrawal from the purse bids against IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia has garnered significant attention within the industry, including remarks from Eddie Hearn, CEO of Matchroom Sports. Hearn’s comments shed light on Boxxer’s recurring predicament, which has become a pattern.
“I’m perplexed as to why fighters are allowing themselves to pass up on once-in-a-lifetime opportunities,” Hearn shared in an interview with All Out Fighting.
He continued, “To then put out a statement saying you’re fed up with being jerked around when the purse bids were just three hours away, it’s bewildering. I find it hard to comprehend, and it’s going unnoticed because it’s not tied to Matchroom.“
Amid minimal media coverage of the issue and Richard Riakporhe (16-0, 12 KO’s) shouldering much of the blame, Hearn underscored key points that succinctly captured the situation’s essence.
Evidently, Richard Riakporhe was likely influenced by his promoter to withdraw, for motives yet undisclosed. Riakporhe’s official statement suggests the possibility of another world title opportunity awaiting him. However, this situation appears to be a clear form of manipulation on the promoter’s part – in this case, Boxxer CEO Ben Shalom – to prevent Riakporhe from contending for a world and lineal title.
While it’s conjectured that Shalom may orchestrate a match between Riakporhe and Chris Billiam-Smith (18-1, 12 KO’s), both of whom are under the Boxxer banner and Billam-Smith holds the WBO cruiserweight title, Shalom has refrained from assuming responsibility. This is despite his prior withdrawal of British heavyweight Frazer Clarke (7-0, 5 KO’s) from the Fabio Wardley (16-0, 15 KO’s) purse bids, which strongly implies his involvement in Riakporhe’s withdrawal as well.
Moreover, Riakporhe’s withdrawal occurred on the very day of the purse bids, a mere three hours before their commencement. Such a last-minute move highlights a disconcerting display of incompetence, negligence, and unprofessionalism on the part of the promoter. Notably, this marks the second instance within a few months where a fighter has been withdrawn on the day of purse bids, yet the promoter remains silent, leaving the fighter to bear the brunt of the consequences.
Eddie Hearn also expressed empathy for Richard Riakporhe and Frazer Clarke, who appear to have been manipulated out of what they’ve strived for throughout their careers – an opportunity to become a world champion.
“I genuinely feel for Richard Riakporhe and Frazer Clarke. They’re losing out on huge opportunities, life-changing moments… I’m utterly surprised,” Hearn remarked.
By allegedly coercing Riakporhe to withdraw from the Jai Opetaia purse bids, Riakporhe is forfeiting the chance to vie for the IBF world and The Ring lineal cruiserweight titles. This achievement could pave the way for additional titles and financial gains in the near future.
Speculation suggests that Boxxer/Sky Sports might have withdrawn Clarke and Riakporhe due to financial constraints, wanting to avoid potential embarrassment. Hearn, who has faced his own share of lost purse bids, shared his approach to such scenarios.
One prominent example is Hearn’s loss in the purse bids for the Callum Smith vs. Artur Beterbiev fight, set to take place on January 13th, 2024, in Canada. This outcome was a blow to Hearn, given Smith’s substantial following in the UK, which could have generated greater profit if the fight had been held there.
Ben Shalom’s failure to release a statement, coupled with his history of delayed responses to issues that might be of his own making, suggests that the Boxxer-Sky Sports collaboration isn’t progressing as initially envisioned.
While Shalom had been previously praised for prioritizing his fighters’ best interests, two significant missteps involving the withdrawal of his fighters from pivotal fights raise doubts about his commitment to both his roster and the sport. His past statement regarding the Clarke-Wardley purse bids appeared contradictory, further undermining his forthcoming comments on the Riakporhe situation.
As a promotion, Boxxer now finds itself on a steep uphill journey, needing to rebuild trust with both fighters and the public, and now forced to demonstrate their dedication to their roster and the sport as a whole, which is a position no one had dared predict when the Boxxer-Sky Sports collaboration had first been announced.
