Chris Billam-Smith, Richard Riakporhe and the truth about winning ugly
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Sometimes, winning in an unattractive way is the most effective strategy in boxing. This was the case for Chris Billam-Smith, who managed to hold onto his world title at Selhurst Park in south London, despite a less-than-impressive performance late on Saturday night.
Billam-Smith managed to keep his WBO cruiserweight title after winning by a unanimous decision over Richard Riakporhe in a 12-round match filled with tactical grappling, holding, and intelligent boxing. Although not always visually pleasing, Billam-Smith's strategy was well thought-out and cunning.
Before the boxing match, Riakphore had defeated Billam-Smith by scoring more points. He had remained undefeated in 17 bouts and had knocked out 13 opponents, making him the preferred choice for betting. While fighting, Billam-Smith was clever enough to dodge most of Riakphore's powerful right punches. Although it may have been annoying for Riakphore, it is typical to encounter challenges like this in boxing.
Riakphore exited the ring as an improved fighter compared to the one who entered it 60 minutes ago. Billam-Smith, on the other hand, is continuously enhancing his skills.
The boxing story of Billam-Smith will continue, and it might lead him to either Las Vegas or Riyadh by the end of the year. This is not the first time he has begun as the underdog, and it won't be the last, but he always strategizes carefully to emerge victorious. Riakphore was unscathed at the end of a grueling 12 rounds, but even 20 minutes after the final bell, he still seemed bewildered by what had transpired. Riakphore has two options to consider: he can move to another weight category called bridgerweight or he can let his body grow and move all the way up to the heavyweight category.
The fight went on in a comparable way, characterized by holding, wrestling, and rare moments of proper boxing. Billam-Smith seemed to have a slight advantage during these exchanges, and it can be argued that he won most of the tightly contested rounds. Riakphore had a hard time finding room to move and establish a rhythm, which was precisely Billam-Smith's strategy. Although the fight may not have been aesthetically pleasing, it was undeniably a smart approach.
During the 12th round, Riakphore was penalized for repeatedly using his head, although it was not intentional. Both fighters were permitted to hold and it made sense for the referee to allow this in a difficult match. It would have been unnecessary for the referee to intervene every time there was holding since both fighters were guilty of it. Therefore, Steve Gray chose to let them continue without constant interruptions.
The fight between Billam-Smith and Riakphore was still very exciting to watch because they both have strong punches and anything can happen in championship fights. Especially when there is a history and more at stake than just a belt. Even though Billam-Smith is called the "Gentleman" and Riakphore was respectful during the buildup to the fight, there was underlying animosity between them. Riakphore won their previous fight in 2019, but Billam-Smith was given the world title opportunity instead. It was almost like Riakphore was seeking revenge and trying to prove that he should have been the one to get the opportunity.
Following approximately seven rounds, it appeared feasible that Riakphore would become fatigued. Towards the end of the last few rounds, it seemed probable that Billam-Smith could experience some discomfort. Even though Billam-Smith was triumphant in 10 out of the 12 rounds, it was not a simple feat. There was always the possibility of a last-minute termination due to the strenuous nature of the fight that could have affected both opponents.
Both men were completely exhausted after their intense fight. The final two rounds were filled with real tension and when the bell rang for the last time, Billam-Smith's corner felt very relieved. Even though Riakphore only managed to win a few rounds, he knew he had come close to winning. People might think it's strange that he feels this way, but in a 12-round fight, even the slightest difference can lead to a lopsided score.
Just so you know, the scores were really tight with one being 116-111 and two others being 115-112. However, there were no objections as the deserving fighter won. Riakphore is wise enough not to assess his performance solely based on those two close scores.
"I've faced many challenges before, and I know I'll face more in the future," Riakphore shared with me past midnight at the empty Premier League arena. He's determined to improve and come back stronger, while Billam-Smith deserves recognition and some lucrative opportunities. It was a chilly evening, with only a half-moon lighting up Selhurst Park for a true battle of honor. All in all, it wasn't a bad way to spend a Saturday night in the southern part of London."
