Viddal Riley is stepping up to challenge Cheavon Clarke for the British cruiserweight title on the Chris Eubank Jr-Conor Benn undercard, live on Sky Sports Box Office on April 26.
Riley, the English champion, had been due to box Isaac Chamberlain in an all-London grudge match earlier this year, only to see his rival withdraw with an injury.
But a rich consolation is getting this shot at the British title at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, the home of the football club Riley supports.
Clarke, a talented GB Olympian, won the British cruiserweight title when he knocked out Ellis Zorro last year.
The Gravesend boxer picked up a good decision win over Efetobor Apochi after that but in December lost a European title fight to Leonardo Mosquea on a split decision in Monaco.
Riley acknowledges he is taking a hard fight.
“He’s the British champion. As much as he had a defeat in his last fight, he challenged for European honours and he’s managed to keep his standing as British champion. So for me being an English champion that was the right person to fight, that was the right person to go after. This is the natural level up,” Riley told Sky Sports.
“He is [dangerous]. But that’s what makes it fun. If it’s not dangerous then it’s not fun. You get that thrill-seeking side of fighters. Not everyone has it, but I definitely have it.
“I want the challenge,” he added. “This is a tough challenge but not one that I can’t overcome.”
Viddal Riley delivered an explosive knockout in Liverpool as he demolished heavyweight Dan Garber in the second round.
Clarke is a fighter to be respected. “He’s explosive,” Riley said. “His strengths are his pedigree, what he’s managed to achieve in terms of fighting around the world as a professional and as an amateur. He’s seen many styles. So his experience is definitely one of his attributes.
“He can put punches together well, he’s quite dynamic in his movement. He’s not the biggest cruiserweight. People tell me I’m not a big cruiserweight. He’s smaller than me.”
Riley though is confident that not only can he win but he can do so in style and knock out the British champion.
“I believe I can. I always believe I can knock anyone out. Things happen. I’ve learned in boxing nothing is scripted,” Riley said.
“I definitely possess the power and the skills to stop Chev. We’ve seen him hurt in his last couple of fights. So he’s shown the vulnerability so I feel like I can capitalise on that and take it one step further and get him out.
“Once I’ve got the person going, I normally finish them.”
Cruiserweight contender Viddal Riley says Chris Billam-Smith is the most dominant cruiserweight the UK has ever had and admits he’s beaten a lot of good boxers from his generation.
Live boxing on Sky
Sunday April 6
Richard Torrez Jr vs Guido Vianello
Sunday April 20
Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron 2
Saturday April 26, Sky Sports Box Office
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn
Monday May 5
Naoya Inoue vs Ramon Cardenas
Sunday May 10
Emanuel Navarrete vs Charly Suarez
Sunday May 25
Manchester Box Cup Amateur Tournament
Saturday June 7
Callum Simpson vs Ivan Zucco
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
How impressive was the Golden State Warriors Game 4 win | Speak
How impressive was the Golden State Warriors Game 4 win | Speak | FOX Sports <!--> --> Video Details Paul Pierce reacts to the Golden State Warriors' gritty Game 4 win, highlighting Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green’s toughness and clutch play down the stretch. 1 MIN AGO・speak・1:11
Yankees open game with 3 straight HRs again, making MLB history
The New York Yankees hit Kyle Gibson so hard on Tuesday we might have to start debating about torpedo bats again.Facing the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, New York welcomed veteran starter Kyle Gibson back to the big leagues with three straight homers. Unlike Nestor last month, Gibson can at least say he didn't allow them on three straight pitches.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementInstead, he allowed them on five, to Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Ben Rice.Per MLB, it's the first time in league history a team has led off a game with three straight homers twice in one season. The Yankees accomplished that before the end of April.Paul Goldschmidt grounded out on the next at-bat to give Gibson some relief, but then Cody Bellinger came through with a fourth homer in five batters to make it 4-0. It was the second time this season […]
49ers add veteran D.J. Humphries to bring needed depth at offensive tackle
No, none of the San Francisco 49ers’ 17 incoming rookies play offensive tackle.But the team is bringing in a familiar veteran, D.J. Humphries, to compete for the swing tackle spot. The 31-year-old, who spent nine seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, has agreed to terms on a one-year deal, his agency announced on Tuesday. Tuesday was the first day teams could sign free agents without the addition counting against the compensatory draft pick formula in 2026. Back healthy and ready to work 😤 #AMDG pic.twitter.com/Q9YjMANO5X — AMDG Sports (@SportsAmdg) April 29, 2025The 49ers’ situation at tackle has been well-documented.Their left tackle, Trent Williams, hasn’t played a full season since 2013 and turns 37 in July. No one is certain how many more seasons he’ll play.Right tackle Colton McKivitz, meanwhile, is only signed through the upcoming season. The only other tackles on […]
Stephon Castle wins Rookie of the Year, joins elite Spurs company to win NBA award
Getty Images San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle has won the NBA's 2024-25 Rookie of the Year award, the league announced on Tuesday. Castle received 92 of the first-place votes. Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks earned five first-place votes and the Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells got the other three.Castle is now the second consecutive Spurs player to win Rookie of the Year, as Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, cruised to the trophy a year ago. Castle is now the fourth Spur overall to win the award, and it's a group of players anyone would want to join. Wembanyama is obviously headed for stardom, and the two other winners, David Robinson and Tim Duncan, both won MVP awards during their Hall of Fame careers. Unlike his three predecessors, though, Castle was not a No. 1 overall pick. He went No. […]
Spurs’ Stephon Castle wins NBA Rookie of the Year award
There was no Victor Wembanyama or Paolo Banchero, no Ja Morant or Luka Dončić vying to be NBA Rookie of the Year this season, which means there was no singular candidate whose statistics, style or charisma made them the obvious choice or set them on a clear path to stardom.But there was Stephon Castle, whose availability to his team, solid play that improved over the season and surprisingly raw power as a dunker were enough to earn him billing as the league’s top rookie in a 2024 draft class that lived up to its reputation as something short of spectacular. Castle was announced the winner of this year’s award on TNT on Tuesday night, prior to Game 5 between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons. The 2024-25 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year is… Stephon Castle!#NBAAwards | #KiaROY | […]
Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year as second straight Spurs player wins the award
San Antonio guard Stephon Castle was named NBA Rookie of the Year on Tuesday, joining Victor Wembanyama as the second consecutive Spurs player to win the award.Castle overwhelmingly won the award over the Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher, who was the No. 1 overall pick in last summer's draft, and the Memphis Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells. Castle earned 482 total points, compared to the 245 Risacher received. Wells finished third with 123 points. Washington's Alex Sarr finished fourth, and Grizzlies big man Zach Edey came in fifth.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCastle joined the Spurs as the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after a single standout season at UConn in which he helped lead the Huskies to a second straight NCAA championship as a freshman.Playing on a Spurs team with veteran Chris Paul at point guard, Castle started his rookie season coming off the […]
Related
How impressive was the Golden State Warriors Game 4 win | Speak
How impressive was the Golden State Warriors Game 4 win | Speak | FOX Sports <!--> --> Video Details Paul Pierce reacts to the Golden State Warriors' gritty Game 4 win, highlighting Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green’s toughness and clutch play down the stretch. 1 MIN AGO・speak・1:11
Yankees open game with 3 straight HRs again, making MLB history
The New York Yankees hit Kyle Gibson so hard on Tuesday we might have to start debating about torpedo bats again.Facing the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, New York welcomed veteran starter Kyle Gibson back to the big leagues with three straight homers. Unlike Nestor last month, Gibson can at least say he didn't allow them on three straight pitches.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementInstead, he allowed them on five, to Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Ben Rice.Per MLB, it's the first time in league history a team has led off a game with three straight homers twice in one season. The Yankees accomplished that before the end of April.Paul Goldschmidt grounded out on the next at-bat to give Gibson some relief, but then Cody Bellinger came through with a fourth homer in five batters to make it 4-0. It was the second time this season […]
49ers add veteran D.J. Humphries to bring needed depth at offensive tackle
No, none of the San Francisco 49ers’ 17 incoming rookies play offensive tackle.But the team is bringing in a familiar veteran, D.J. Humphries, to compete for the swing tackle spot. The 31-year-old, who spent nine seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, has agreed to terms on a one-year deal, his agency announced on Tuesday. Tuesday was the first day teams could sign free agents without the addition counting against the compensatory draft pick formula in 2026. Back healthy and ready to work 😤 #AMDG pic.twitter.com/Q9YjMANO5X — AMDG Sports (@SportsAmdg) April 29, 2025The 49ers’ situation at tackle has been well-documented.Their left tackle, Trent Williams, hasn’t played a full season since 2013 and turns 37 in July. No one is certain how many more seasons he’ll play.Right tackle Colton McKivitz, meanwhile, is only signed through the upcoming season. The only other tackles on […]
Stephon Castle wins Rookie of the Year, joins elite Spurs company to win NBA award
Getty Images San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle has won the NBA's 2024-25 Rookie of the Year award, the league announced on Tuesday. Castle received 92 of the first-place votes. Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks earned five first-place votes and the Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells got the other three.Castle is now the second consecutive Spurs player to win Rookie of the Year, as Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, cruised to the trophy a year ago. Castle is now the fourth Spur overall to win the award, and it's a group of players anyone would want to join. Wembanyama is obviously headed for stardom, and the two other winners, David Robinson and Tim Duncan, both won MVP awards during their Hall of Fame careers. Unlike his three predecessors, though, Castle was not a No. 1 overall pick. He went No. […]
Spurs’ Stephon Castle wins NBA Rookie of the Year award
There was no Victor Wembanyama or Paolo Banchero, no Ja Morant or Luka Dončić vying to be NBA Rookie of the Year this season, which means there was no singular candidate whose statistics, style or charisma made them the obvious choice or set them on a clear path to stardom.But there was Stephon Castle, whose availability to his team, solid play that improved over the season and surprisingly raw power as a dunker were enough to earn him billing as the league’s top rookie in a 2024 draft class that lived up to its reputation as something short of spectacular. Castle was announced the winner of this year’s award on TNT on Tuesday night, prior to Game 5 between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons. The 2024-25 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year is… Stephon Castle!#NBAAwards | #KiaROY | […]
Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year as second straight Spurs player wins the award
San Antonio guard Stephon Castle was named NBA Rookie of the Year on Tuesday, joining Victor Wembanyama as the second consecutive Spurs player to win the award.Castle overwhelmingly won the award over the Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher, who was the No. 1 overall pick in last summer's draft, and the Memphis Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells. Castle earned 482 total points, compared to the 245 Risacher received. Wells finished third with 123 points. Washington's Alex Sarr finished fourth, and Grizzlies big man Zach Edey came in fifth.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCastle joined the Spurs as the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after a single standout season at UConn in which he helped lead the Huskies to a second straight NCAA championship as a freshman.Playing on a Spurs team with veteran Chris Paul at point guard, Castle started his rookie season coming off the […]
Be the first to leave a comment