let’s not make the mistake of thinking that Rivas was over-hyped now that he has been beaten. Fact is that Dillian Whyte really is THAT good! Reports Ezio Prapotnich.

Upon its announcement, this was considered a risky fight for Dillian Whyte (26-1, 18 KOs) to take while waiting for his overdue title shot to manifest. Oscar Rivas (26-1, 18 KOs) was perceived as a potential banana skin and so he turned out to be. But only for one round… 

After a fairly even opening session where Rivas proved able to absorb Dillian’s shots and come back hard with his own, the Body Snatcher established his jab in the second and went for the kill after stunning the Canadian based opponent with a straight right. Oscar managed to weather the storm by keeping low but spent the next round at the end of Whyte’s left arm backing off.

It was evident by the fourth that he could not close the gap and his counter swings were only useful to disrupt briefly the Brixton man’s attacks without doing any damage. Dillian appeared fully in control in the fifth comfortably dictating the pace from the outside with Rivas having some sporadic success going to the body. Better work from the Colombian in the sixth as he jumped on Whyte after scoring a good left hook, although ultimately failing to capitalize.

He was still the aggressor in the seventh but the house fighter nullified his attacks showcasing good defensive skills. It was all Whyte again in the eighth after landing a thunderous left hook to the body and then scoring at will a variety of shots both to body and head. At this point, it looked like one way traffic in the Londoner’s favour when out of the blue Rivas produced an uppercut that knocked him down in a corner.

Moments of tension followed as Dillian did not try to hold as he should have but opted to fire back instead. But, he came back successfully and ended the round strong re-asserting his dominance in the next two sessions where he landed cleanly and repeatedly while Rivas looked exhausted with his hands hanging down. Desperately in need of a knock out, the Colombian tried his best (or his worst) in the final round throwing elbows, leading with his head and hitting under the belt but the outcome was never in question as the Body Snatcher deservedly won a unanimous decision by scores of 115-112 twice and 116-111. 

The WBC Interim Heavyweight belt was on the line to cement Dillian Whyte’s place as mandatory contender for Deontay Wilder’s title but the fight is nowhere nearer to happen in reality as the Bronze Bomber has his next two fights against Ortiz and Fury already lined up. Nevertheless, this is another dominant performance from him and surely confirms he rightly belongs at the top of the division. And let’s not make the mistake of thinking that Rivas was over-hyped now that he has been beaten. Fact is that Dillian Whyte really is THAT good. 

In a minor upset, undaunted Liverpool Heavyweight David Price (25-6, 20 KOs) stopped crowd favourite Dave Allen (17-5-2, 14 KOs) in ten rounds to win the vacant WBA Continental heavyweight title.

The bout started with Allen feinting in order to get close while Price stuck diligently to his jab. The smaller Dave kept trying to find his range for the next three rounds and was willing to absorb some stiff shots in doing it but repeatedly find himself too close to David, without leverage and space to manoeuvre, and his shots lacked of sting.

By the fifth, it became evident that his game plan was to set up the over head right and hopefully score a knock out but it wasn’t working and there was no plan B. On the other hand, Price set into a comfortable rhythm and gradually stepped up his offense.

The pattern of the fight was set and while Allen’s heart and will to win was never in question, it looked like he was feeling the accumulation of punches on his head. You had to feel for him as he kept coming forward with his right eye cut and almost shut. With no signs that the tide would turn, his corner compassionately pulled him out after the tenth and Dave Allen lives to fight another day.

He is still a relevant figure at domestic level in a division that does not lack of opportunities. Unlike in his previous two bouts, David Price won fair and square, without controversy, and fair play to him wherever he goes from here. 

Derek Chisora v Artur Szpilka, Heavyweight contest, O2 Arena, London. 20th July 2019. Picture By Dave Thompson Derek Chisora ring walk.

Derek Chisora (31-9, 22 KOs)’s two rounds demolition job of Artur Szpilka (22-4, 15 KOs) was definitely the highlight of the night. Szpilka’s aura of menace and bully image had already been truly and well exposed by Jennings, Wilder and Kownacki but his antics always made fans intrigued about the outcome of a match-up against the troublemaking “Del Boy” version of Chisora. Instead, the Polish Heavyweight ended up facing the new “War” edition but the result was stunning nevertheless.

True to form, Szpilka went right into Derek’s face during the introductions and one could sense the blood boiling in the former British champion’s veins but he remained composed. A few years ago the fight would have started right there. Chisora spent the first round cutting the ring and targeting the chest of Artur who managed to score a good right hand, although being constantly with his back on the ropes.

The second looked pretty much the same until a right hook from Derek hurt Szpilka and left him open to two more before crumbling unconscious to the canvas, 1:01 the official time of the stoppage. Quite a statement from Chisora who surely can still play a part in the division above domestic level. 

Cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe (10-0, 8 KOs) defended yet another WBA belt against Chris Billam-Smith (9-1, 8 KOs), the Inter-Continental one to be precise, not to be mistaken with the merely Continental version Okolie retained earlier on the bill.

What was really on the line and way more important was the undefeated records of both fighters at this early stage of their career. Billam-Smith, who had singer Ellie Gouldins among his supporters in the crowd, entered the ring with an aura of determination and purpose around him that truly commanded respect while Riakporhe appeared nervous during the introductions. But, the body language seemed to have switched at the end of the first round. Chris really took the fight to his opponent and was busier but the more telling blows were landed by Richard in the form of an uppercut and two right hooks.

The initiative was still the challenger’s in the second as he initiated most actions but it was Riakporhe’s to have the last word in each exchange punctuating the round with a big right hook. The Londoner tried to impose his physicality over the next 4 rounds but Billam-Smith was undeterred in his pursuit, although still getting caught with the cleaner shots and bleeding from the nose.

The man from Bournemouth was still forcing the action in the seventh until he got caught with a big straight right and a left hand-right hook combo that might have resulted in a knock down had he not fallen on the ropes. The pace slowed down in the eighth although Richard took it with two big shots followed by a flurry towards the end. Chris’s persistence all throughout the bout seemed to be finally paying off in the ninth as he caught Riakporhe, who looked very vulnerable and tired at that point, with a good left hook and a stunning right uppercut.

With one round to go, Billam-Smith kept going after his man to force a stoppage but the Londoner managed to spoil his effort and come back with his own shots to seal a 96-93, 97-92 and 95-94 decision. A deserved victory for Riakporhe and a great effort from Chris who can surely come again. 

The initiative was still the challenger’s in the second as he initiated most actions but it was Riakporhe’s to have the last word in each exchange punctuating the round with a big right hook. The Londoner tried to impose his physicality over the next 4 rounds but Billam-Smith was undeterred in his pursuit, although still getting caught with the cleaner shots and bleeding from the nose.

The man from Bournemouth was still forcing the action in the seventh until he got caught with a big straight right and a left hand-right hook combo that might have resulted in a knock down had he not fallen on the ropes. The pace slowed down in the eighth although Richard took it with two big shots followed by a flurry towards the end. Chris’s persistence all throughout the bout seemed to be finally paying off in the ninth as he caught Riakporhe, who looked very vulnerable and tired at that point, with a good left hook and a stunning right uppercut.

With one round to go, Billam-Smith kept going after his man to force a stoppage but the Londoner managed to spoil his effort and come back with his own shots to seal a 96-93, 97-92 and 95-94 decision. A deserved victory for Riakporhe and a great effort from Chris who can surely come again. 

Super Lightweight prospect Dalton Smith (2-0, 1 KO) took only two rounds to get rid of seasoned campaigner Ibrar Ryiaz (6-166-4, 3 KOs), who did not have much to offer except for courage. From the start, Smith showcased a great variety of shots and some not really needed defensive skills. Ryaz made an effort to turn it into a fight in the second but paid the price as Smith’s output was so overwhelming to 

force his corner to retire him on his stool before the third. This was only the fourth time in 176 fights that Ibrar was stopped and that says something about Dalton’s potential. 

Unified British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie (13-0, 10 KOs) had a routine outing against unheralded Mariano Angel Gudino (13-3, 8 KOs) from Argentina. Gudino’s refusal to engage enabled him to last till the seventh round of a completely one sided bout where Lawrence consistently beat him up and broke him down, also sending him to the canvas in the third and three times in the final session for the referee to rescue him at 2:59. Just a keep busy fight for Okolie that even with an opponent of this calibre resorted to some untidiness by repeatedly pushing him down. 

In the first bout of the televised portion of the show, a brave Charlie Duffield (7-2, 6 KOs) was thoroughly out boxed by Dan Azeez (9-0, 6 KOs) in a contest for the vacant Southern Area Light Heavyweight Title. Duffield’s left eye was badly bruised and nearly shut when his corner threw the towel in and the referee stopped the contest at 2:49 of round seven.

Fabio Wardley W TKO6 Mariano Strunz

Alen Babic W KO1 Morgan Dessaux

Thanks for reading, Please Follow us on Social Media…

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/britishboxers_bbtv
Twitter: https://twitter.com/britishboxers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/britishboxers
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/britishboxersuk

boxing #britishboxing

LATEST BBTV VIDEOS

@britishboxers

RICKY HATTON BBTV CRIBS

TOMMY DIX – MY P4P TOP 10 OF ALL TIME

KERRY KAYES BIO

VENTURE GYM TOUR WITH TOMMY DIX

EXCLUSIVE: JOE CALZAGHE – BBTV SPECIAL

THE BEST P4P BOXER EVER

SAVAGERY NEVER SEEN IN A RING BEFORE

PETER FURY INTERVIEW

No more articles
error

Thanks for visiting us? Please spread the word :)