Viddal Riley defeated Cheavon Clarke to win the British cruiserweight title on the Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn undercard at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Fighting at the home of the football club he supports, Riley quickly settled into a rhythm. Light on his feet, he was relaxed and quick as he plied Clarke with well-timed jabs.
He backed those up with crisp rights that arched over the top. Early on too he leant into Clarke and fired a flurry of hooks into the body.
The champion Clarke was frustrated by his opponent’s work and by his boots sliding on the ring canvas.
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Watch as Cheavon Clarke walks out to Arsenal’s ‘North London Forever’ at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
But he brought his gloves up to pad shots away and struck back with cracking counters. He launched his right straight into the body and remained an explosive threat as they fought into the second half of the championship clash.
However Riley’s hand speed and eye for a defensive opening made it hard for Clarke to establish himself.
Clarke’s cross slammed into Riley before the end of the seventh round. But Riley snagged his opponent on short punches as Clarke looked to press inside.
The champion needed to shift the momentum and crank up the pressure on his challenger.
Riley put his boxing skills to good use against a Tokyo Olympian and reigning British titlist
He did so but those efforts came with risk too. Just at the end of the 11th round he lunged forward, and a flush right from Riley clipped him neatly and shook him up badly.
Yet courageously Clarke, a Tokyo Olympian as well as the British champion and European title challenger, came out firing in the last round.
He knew he had to chase the fight and was not dissuaded. He attacked, letting his hands go but could not find the breakthrough he needed.
Riley took a unanimous decision and the British title, on scores of 116-112, 117-111 and 115-113.
Billam-Smith comes through a hard fight with Glanton
Chris Billam-Smith had his first fight since losing his world title to Gilberto Ramirez, getting the victory he needed.
Billam-Smith engaged with American contender Brandon Glanton from the opening bell.
They stood up close and planted heavy shots on one another. Billam-Smith’s thudding left hook thumped round the side of Glanton’s head. He sank punches into the body and clean rights struck his opponent.
But the American proved durable and stubbornly determined. His right jolted Billam-Smith’s head back on his shoulders and he pressed the Briton back when he could.
The fight became one of Billam-Smith’s trademark slugfests, hard going and hard work but the kind of crucible where the Bournemouth man still excels.
Glanton would fire back and catch the Briton. But the former champion’s punch volume was greater, his understanding of where to take the fight, when to throw and when to wait was a level higher, even though Glanton did manage to bull him into the ropes.
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With his facing marking up, Billam-Smith did start to look ragged. Regardless he connected much more regularly and marshalled the action.
Happy with how far ahead he was in the fight in the 10th round Billam-Smith went on the move, greeting Glanton with jabs and the odd hook before stepping out again.
Billam-Smith winced as Glanton barrelled into him in the 12th round, their heads had rubbed together at points throughout. But Glanton managed to walk himself onto hard shots and into clinches.
He winged a left hook into Billam-Smith in the closing seconds but could not disrupt the Briton, who did finish with a nick by his eye.
It was a high output, high effort, taxing fight but Billam-Smith rightfully won a unanimous decision, 116-113 and 116-112 twice.
Chris Eubank vs Conor Benn will be live on Saturday April 26 on Sky Sports Box Office. Book now!
