Richard Okolie Withdraws from Fight Against Riakporhe

The highly anticipated clash between British fighters Lawrence Okolie (21-1, 16 KOs) and Richard Riakporhe (17-1, 13 KOs), set for April 5 in the UK, has been scrapped—Okolie has pulled out due to an injury sustained in training.

Okolie, a top contender for the WBC heavyweight title, had previously stated that after facing Riakporhe, he was ready to take on Agit Kabayel. Meanwhile, this fight was supposed to mark Riakporhe’s debut in the heavyweight division. With Okolie out, event organizers are now searching for a replacement opponent.

This is the second major blow to the event, as Dillian Whyte had already withdrawn from his scheduled bout against Joe Joyce after suffering a finger injury in training.