Richard Riakporhe on ‘painful Christmas’ ahead of return on Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith’s bill | Boxing News

Richard Riakporhe insists he is prepared to swerve the mince pies and experience a “painful Christmas” to be the “star of the show” on his return to action next month, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Riakporhe features on Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith’s all-British blockbuster event at the AO Arena in Manchester on January 21, taking on former WBO cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Głowacki as part of a strong undercard.

The 32-year-old has already set his sights on a world title shot in 2023, with Riakporhe resisting any temptation of festive treats to spend Christmas in the gym and prepare for his bid to extend his unbeaten record (15-0, 11 KOs).

“It’s going to be a pretty lonely and painful Christmas in regards to training,” Riakporhe told Sky Sports News. “I could [have a mince pie] but I would prefer to wait until after the fight, once I’ve got the W and the victory, and then I can enjoy myself as much as I like.

“I planned to stuff my face with loads of food and probably go on holiday to the Caribbean for New Year’s Eve to celebrate the countdown over there, but unfortunately things got pushed back.

“We can celebrate vacations after we do what we need to do and the most important thing is the fight game right now – that’s the No 1 priority.”

Riakporhe has won his last three fights via knockout but is prepared for a tough test from Glowacki (32-3-0, 20 KOs), whose only defeats have come against Oleksandr Usyk, Mairis Briedis and Lawrence Okolie.

“It’s a massive step up,” Riakporhe admitted. “Głowacki has been the two-time cruiserweight world champion and he’s no mug at all. He’s Polish, very strong, durable, intelligent and experienced, so I have to come with my A-game.

“I plan to put on a spectacle where I can show my speed, my power, my boxing IQ, my willingness to win and my determination. It’s going to be a great fight, so make sure you all tune in!

“The plan is simple: To win by any means necessary, to land the right shots and punish any mistakes he makes. The fans can expect an amazing performance from the ‘Midnight Train’, very explosive and just brute hunger and devastation.

“You can look into my eyes and see I’m fully focused on the mission. I just want to be a star of the show and I want put on the best performance on the night. Everybody around the world is going to be speaking about Riakporhe.”

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