Chris Billam-Smith vs Richard Riakporhe: Predictions for world title fight from fighters and pundits

On Saturday, an all-British world cruiserweight title will be competed for by Chris Billam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe at Selhurst Park in London.

Riakporhe, who is 34 years old, had a victory against his opponent in the year 2019, however, he is currently the contender for Billam-Smith's WBO championship title.

The London-based fighter, who has yet to lose a single match, will have the advantage of competing on his turf as he strives to earn his inaugural world title.

The only flaw in the record of Bournemouth boxer Billam-Smith, who has competed in 20 fights, is his narrow loss to Riakporhe on points.

Is it possible for Billam-Smith to avenge his defeat against Riakporhe or will we see a new world titleholder?

BBC Sport consulted the boxing community and others for their forecast.

Former world super-middleweight champion, George Groves, stated that he believes Billam-Smith will come out victorious with a knockout between rounds nine and 12.

Boxer Viddal Riley of the Cruiserweight category believes that Billiam-Smith will emerge victorious through a split decision.

At the beginning of the fight, he might face some difficulties since both fighters will be cautious, which will favor Riakporhe. However, as the fight intensifies, Billam-Smith is expected to showcase his skills and emerge as the winner.

Denzel Bentley, who competes in the middleweight category, expressed that the upcoming fight is promising. He believes that both fighters have shown significant progress since their last encounter. Billam-Smith has been performing with newfound self-assurance since being crowned as a world champion, while Riakporhe has been honing his skills in punch placement, becoming increasingly composed. Bentley predicts that if Riakporhe fails to knock out his opponent, then Billam-Smith will emerge victorious through scoring points.

Lawrence Okolie, a former champion in the cruiserweight division, shared his thoughts about the upcoming boxing match. He expressed that he believes Billam-Smith will emerge as the winner through points. However, he also acknowledged that Riakporhe could potentially secure an early victory within four rounds.

The European champion for the lightweight class, Sam Noakes, believes that Billam-Smith will come out on top in their upcoming fight. Despite the fact that their previous bout was a close call, Noakes thinks that enough time has passed and Billam-Smith has performed consistently well at a high level since then.

Anthony Crolla, a former lightweight champion and boxing instructor, has shared his thoughts on the upcoming fight. He believes it will be a difficult one to predict, but a great match nonetheless. He doesn't expect the fight to go the full distance as it did in their previous encounter. Crolla thinks if Billam-Smith receives the same amount of punches as he did in his last match with Mateusz Masternak, Riakporhe will most likely win in less than four rounds.

"I believe that Billam-Smith's approach in this fight will be predominantly defensive compared to his previous bouts. Although there is a possibility of him falling to the ground, I predict that he will emerge victorious through a late stoppage."

Hannah Rankin, a former champion in the super-welterweight division, believes that Billam-Smith has faced tougher opponents throughout his career, making him more experienced overall.

In my opinion, Riakporhe could pose a threat in the initial rounds; however, if Billam-Smith has not incurred significant damage in his previous bouts, I believe his seasoned skills will secure him a triumph on Saturday, potentially ending in a later round.

Paul Smith, who once contended for a world title, expressed his belief that Riakporhe will defeat Billam-Smith near to the end of their upcoming bout.

Spencer Oliver, a retired bantamweight and pundit, expressed his opinion about the upcoming match. According to him, it's challenging to predict the outcome as both fighters are expected to face difficulties and may even have to get back on their feet after being knocked down.

"Considering the high stakes and the significance of such a massive fight, having the home field advantage may prove decisive, and I am inclined to believe that Riakporhe will emerge victorious in a close points-based outcome."

Nathan Heaney, the current British middleweight champion, has declared his prediction for the upcoming Billam-Smith vs. Riakporhe match. Heaney believes that Billam-Smith will come out on top due to his previous experience in big stadium events, which will give him an edge over Riakporhe. Despite Riakporhe's reputation as a hard hitter, Heaney has high praise for Billam-Smith, calling him a top guy and an exceptional fighter.

Barry Jones, a retired champion in the super-featherweight division and a sports commentator believes that Billiam-Smith has gathered enough experience since the last time he fought Riakporhe. Jones predicts that Billiam-Smith will be able to win the fight by pressurizing Riakporhe to fight at a fast pace, which might help him avoid Riakporhe's powerful right hand punches. Jones thinks that Billiam-Smith will win the fight based on points and seek revenge for the previous loss.

Johnny Nelson, a former world cruiserweight champion and boxing expert, believes that Riakporhe will win in a tough battle by stopping his opponent late in the game.