Richard Riakporhe and Dan Azeez pick up titles with dominant displays at Wembley

Credit to Boxxer and Sky Sports. Their new partnership, following in the large footsteps of Matchroom’s lengthy tenure with the broadcaster, got off to an uncertain start, but now seems to have found its feet, both on TV and in the ring. Rebounding from the loss to illness of talented Olympian Caroline Dubois’ pro debut, main eventer Richard Riakporhe and, to an even greater degree, Dan Azeez each delivered in title fights that looked like tests on paper but were rendered one-sided, yet still exciting, in reality.

Unbeaten cruiserweight Riakporhe, who boasts wins over current and former European rulers in Chris Billam-Smith and Tommy McCarthy, captured the vacant WBC Silver title with a fifth-round stoppage of limited but dangerous Nigerian Olanrewaju Durodola, who had mixed in world class but usually fallen short. He did the same again here, heavy punches mostly missing or being blocked but giving the Walworth man something to think about. Riakrhe controlled the ace and distance behind an improved, busy jab, following up with rights, left hooks and a sharp right uppercut.

A clipping lead left hook dropped Durodola early in the fifth round and he was pinned against the ropes upon the resumption, before the referee rightly stepped in. Riakporhe should see his WBC ranking, already 10, rise significantly after conclusively beating their No. 5 and grabbing the Silver belt. A shot against the Iunga Makabu vs Canelo winner, or the vacant green belt, seems a genuine possibility in 2022 for the rangy puncher.

Azeez had already delivered the performance of the night and of his career, in halting the marginally favoured Hosea Burton for the vacant British light-heavyweight championship.

Burton, a former holder of the Lonsdale Belt, possessed sizeable advantages in height and reach, but undefeated Azeez used those against him from the start. Azeez applied pressure with quick feet, drew the lead with feints, then moved inside to land power jabs and fast left hooks. When Burton advanced, Azeez would move laterally and wing in the right over the top. Burton, a talented technician who can punch in his own right, was never allowed to get going against a determined opponent who, with trainer Brian O’Shaunessy, got his tactics spot on.

Hosea’s nose bled from early on and by the seventh session looked weary. A leaping left hook from Lewisham’s Azeez pinned Burton to the ropes towards the end of the round and, despite covering up, the Lancashire man took sufficient punishment. Only when Burton threw his hands up in apparent dismay did the referee call the contest off.

Dan Azeez made a stunning statement with his performance and can grow further from here.