Richard Riakporhe TKO5 Jeamie Tshikeva...  Former cruiserweight title challenger Richard Riakporhe completed a successful move to heavyweight in London as he stopped defending British champion Jeamie “TKV” Tshikeva in the fifth round to capture the domestoc heavyweight title. In an eventful opening round, Riakporhe appeared to stun Tshikeva early in an exchange that ended with the pair of them falling to the canvas. No count was administered, but it gave the challenger early confidence in his punch power in a big heavyweight fight.

 

That confidence only increased after the mid-way point of the second round, after Riakporhe busted up Tshikeva’s nose, causing it to leak blood. Then a big right upper cut from the challenger drew gasps from the crowd as he started to make his punches really count.

 

Tshikeva seemingly had little answer for Riakporhe’s shots other than consistent holding, and a strong warning from the referee in the third round made clear that he was far from happy with “TKV’s” constant clinching. Soon after, the champion was then deducted a point by the official for a cheeky head-butt on the inside at the start of Round 4.

 

The momentum was only going one way, and Riakporhe made the breakthrough in the fifth when he dropped the champion with a clubbing overhand right that forced “TKV” to take an eight-count. Riakporhe looked to follow up with more power shots, and Tshikeva tried to hold his way to safety, only for the challenger to throw the champion across the ring. Once the action resumed, Riakporhe poured on the pressure and landed some huge shots that eventually forced the referee to dive in and end the fight in the final minute of the round.

 

It gave Riakporhe his second British championship after previously capturing the cruiserweight crown, and took his heavyweight record to 3-0, all by stoppage, as he looks to make his way towards the biggest names in the division.