An energised Ben Whittaker warned opportunistic opponent Ezra Arenyeka to brace for a scary evening as he promised to steal the show when the pair collide at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
‘Cute’ was the word used by Whittaker to describe the irony of The Surgeon facing The (soon-to-be) Doctor Arenyeka, who has been working on his PHD thesis during his training camp. He plans being anything but cute on Saturday.
Whittaker has taken a disliking to the ease at which Arenyeka was able to secure a spot on his stage, the latter having gate-crashed the Olympian’s press conference ahead of his last fight against Leon Willings in order to call out Britain’s rising star.
He has a demolition job in mind.
“You’ll see I’m no undercard, I’m the main event on Saturday,” said Whittaker. “Every time you walk to the ring just know it’s going to get scarier.
“When you’re getting your hands wrapped take a deep breath, when you’re tying your boots and putting your shorts on it will get scarier, it’s ok.
“I’ll take you through a couple rounds, it will be painful, every time you stumble I’ll pick you back up, but don’t worry it will be over before you know it.
“He’s 12-0, 10 knockouts, more knockouts than I’ve got fights, but you’ll see why I’m different to these guys. He’s talked the talk, Saturday he’s got to walk the walk.”
It beckons as the biggest stage of Arenyeka’s career, perhaps the biggest he will ever experience as he seeks to make the most of a surprise opportunity.
While he has previously criticised Whittaker for disrespecting opponents with his showboating style, he too remains under no illusions as to the enormity of the task facing him.
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Ben Whittaker’s next opponent Ezra Arenyeka was determined to get under his skin and steal the limelight at the pair’s first head to head.
“A new light heavyweight prospect is going to be born, British fans are in for a treat,” he said on Thursday. “Gate-crashing a press conference has got me here today. The hard work has been done, I have a great task to accomplish.
“He’s a great fighter, an Olympian, slick, has good skills. I have good power, it’s going to be a different ball game.
“I feel like a kid at Disney Land, this is what dreams are made of. I can’t wait to perform, see what I’m made of and see what Ben is made of.”
Boxxer CEO Ben Shalom alluded towards a headline show for Whittaker later this year should all go to plan and he comes through Saturday with another commanding win.
Whittaker hasn’t come through a glistening amateur career and Olympic representation to take an opponent lightly, but knows bigger days lie ahead.
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Cruiserweights Isaac Chamberlain and Jack Massey continue their war of words as their pre-fight presser gets heated.
“If I’m honest, I’m in great spirits, when you have that feeling you know something special is going on,” he said.
“He’s taken his opportunity, but there’s too much he has bitten off. On paper he might bang, but there are levels in this game for a reason.
“I’m always in the future, I like to look at the landscape but if you do that you forget the now, he might still be dangerous so I have to go out there and perform.”
Billam-Smith: I’m enjoying every moment
Suited and booted with WBO cruiserweight world title in hand, Chris Billam-Smith cut a figure of confidence as he reiterated his intentions to conquer the power of Richard Riakporhe in this weekend’s main event.
“I believe I’ll stop him inside the distance. He’s in for a shock,” said the defending champion.
Billam-Smith defends his title for the second time after dethroning Lawrence Okolie to become world champion in Bournemouth last year.
It featured among an emphatic response to suffering his first career loss to Riakporhe back in July 2019.
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Ahead of Chris Billam-Smith’s WBO cruiserweight world title fight with Richard Riakporhe at Selhurst Park, take a look back at some of the biggest stadium fights in British boxing history.
“The experience is everything, even the experience before that stadium fight where I’d headlined shows back home and had the big occasion which was the experience I needed.
“I’m different in so many ways, it (the first fight) is so irrelevant, I see it as a different person, it’s almost like 20 years ago in boxing terms because I’m such a different fighter.
“It’s been a great journey from then to now, the growth I’ve had is massive.”
New territory comes in familiar territory for Riakporhe, his first world title shot coming in south London and at the home of his beloved Crystal Palace.
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Chris Billam-Smith got a cold response from Richard Riakporhe when he predicted he will retain his WBO world title by knockout on Saturday night.
“It’s a privilege, to have that south London support where we can resonate with each other, it’s bred us and it’s conditioned us for these moments, given us a different type of mentality,” said Riakporhe.
“It’s why we say we’re cut from a different cloth. I get random people saying ‘Rich I know you’ll do it’ because once we get these opportunities we take them with both hands.
“I’m very excited, I’ve been waiting for a very long time, I’m hungry and ready to challenge and take this title, then win some more.”
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Don’t miss our latest episode of ‘The Gloves Are Off’ featuring cruiserweight rivals Chris Billam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe.
Both Billam-Smith and Riakporhe have downplayed the idea their first fight will provide any inkling towards the outcome on Saturday.
But Riakporhe knows he can hit, and hit hard. He says he is ready for any version of Billam-Smith.
“The win is the most important thing, I’m a power puncher and look for knockouts, I always want to finish within the distance which is why people have grown to like me.
“We know how to skin a cat, there’s many different ways.”
Watch Chris Billam-Smith defend his WBO cruiserweight world title against Richard Riakporhe at Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park, live on Sky Sports on Saturday June 15; or Stream with NOW