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IBF Orders Jai Opetaia vs Richard Riakporhe; Mateusz Masternak Pulled Out of Negotiations

Writer's picture: Lawrence WilliamsLawrence Williams

IBF Cruiserweight Champion Jai Opetaia (22-0 17KOs) was ordered to negotiate with Richard Riakporhe (16-0 12KOs) in mandatory title fight. The pair of fighters will have 30 days to negotiate before a purse bid will be ordered. This turn of events came about when #1 IBF mandatory challenger Mateusz Masternak pulled out if negotiations before the deadline.


Opetaia 27, overcame two fractures in his jaw to defeated Mairis Briedis in July 2022 by unanimous decision. Since the fight, Opetaia underwent jaw and shoulder surgery along with a promotional dispute which kept him sideline for nearly a year.


Riakporhe 33, is 5-0 4KOs since returning from a two year layoff riddled by injury. Riakporhe has linked up BOXXER and is seeking to joint his stablemate Chris Billam-Smith as world champion. Billam-Smith defeated Lawrence Okolie last month the become WBO champion. Riakporhe gave Billam-Smith his first and only loss in 2019 by Split Decision.

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Shawa'ahla 77
Shawa'ahla 77
Jun 15, 2023
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

Mmmhmmmm I'm a Riakporhe girl... Been waiting to see these two in particular fight. I like what I've seen from Opetaia too.

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Lawrence Williams
Lawrence Williams
Jun 15, 2023
Replying to

💯💯

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Gregory Carmichael
Jun 15, 2023
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

The most underrated division these titles change constantly change at cruiser weight,

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Gregory Carmichael
Jun 15, 2023
Replying to

I don’t understand it’s very evenly matched division with a lot of talent and lot of these guys move up to heavyweight. So a lot times u can see these guys before they move up see how much power they have all there different skills before the public. Probox is doing a good job trying to promote them. Will see in the future if we ever get a big card with a cruiser weight headlining like back in the day.

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