Lawrence Okolie’s cruiserweight clash with Richard Riakporhe set for April 5 in Manchester appears to be off after “The Sauce” reportedly suffered an injury in training. The news comes just days after Okolie was elevated to the No. 1 spot in the latest WBC heavyweight rankings. Now, with Okolie on the shelf, Riakporhe is left in limbo, and event organizers must figure out whether they can arrange a suitable late replacement or postpone the fight altogether.
This is the second setback for promoter Frank Warren’s all-heavyweight show in Manchester. Originally, the main event pitted Joe Joyce against Dillian Whyte, but Whyte was also forced out due to injury, leading to speculation that Filip Hrgovic would step in. The Ring broke the news of Okolie’s injury, and confirmation is awaited regarding Riakporhe’s status. The card remains interesting even with these changes, as David Adeleye is slated to face Jeamie TKV for the vacant British heavyweight title, and amateur standout Delicious Orie plans to make his professional debut that night.
Injuries, of course, are part of the sport, but losing two major fights from the same card is an unusual stroke of bad luck. With Okolie-Riakporhe abruptly on pause, we will hope Joyce-Hrgovic goes ahead without any further hitches, salvaging a show that still promises plenty of heavyweight action. Organizers must now scramble to keep Riakporhe active, though securing a late-notice opponent who can match the intrigue of a grudge match with Okolie is no easy task.
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