Richard Riakporhe and Kirk Garvey both secure title wins at weekend
Clapham light-heavyweight Garvey, 29, won the English light-heavyweight title with a split decision points win over champion Miles Shinkwin.
Ian John Lewis and Marcus McDonnell scored it 96-94 for the challenger at Bethnal Green’s York Hall with Phil Edwards seeing it 97-94 the other way.
Garvey bumped his record to 12 wins and two defeats – producing the perfect response to a points loss to Andre Sterling for the vacant Southern Area strap in November.
Riakporhe, 29, defended his WBA inter-continental cruiserweight title with a fourth round stoppage of Tommy McCarthy in Peterborough.
The Walworth-based puncher has now won eight of his nine bouts inside the distance.
A big right hand hurt McCarthy in the fourth and although he continued after a count from referee Michael Alexander he was clubbed heavily again in a neutral corner and the contest was waved over.
There has been talk of Riakporhe facing British and Commonwealth champion Lawrence Okolie.
But Brixton heavyweight star Dillian Whyte, who mentors his fellow South Londoner, is in no rush to make that one happen.
“That’s a big fight and it is going to get bigger and bigger,” he said. “It is a bit early now. Richard needs more experience. I believe Richard beats him now, but we don’t want to go into the fight thinking ‘is he ready yet?’”
Riakporhe was pleased to move his record to 9-0 and answer some of his doubters.
“A lot of people were thinking I had just got power and I haven’t got a boxing brain,” he said. “Last time against Sam Hyde is didn’t relax. It was my first title fight and I wanted to get everything perfect and it affected my performance.
“I can go all the way to the top with a good team around me, trust me.
“He [McCarthy] called me a novice and I took that really personally, I wanted to show him I could box – and that’s what I did.
“Throughout life I’ve had to prove people wrong, prove I’m not just a stereotype – that we can do things with our life.”
Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn admitted he would like to work with Riakporhe again.
“Richard against Lawrence Okolie is going to be a big domestic fight,” he said.
IMAGES BY MARK ROBINSON/MATCHROOM BOXING
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