British boxer taunts rival over ‘kissing Madonna’ during ice-cold exchange

British boxer Lawrence Okolie taunted rival Richard Riakporhe implicit his relationship with Madonna successful an icy speech promoting their combat aboriginal this year.

Okolie and Riakporhe came face-to-face astatine a property league successful Manchester connected Monday with the 2 Londoners acceptable to collide successful a heavyweight showdown successful April.

A simmering rivalry betwixt the 2 was sparked successful February past twelvemonth erstwhile they came to blows astatine the Creed III premiere successful London with members of their respective teams and information pulling them apart.

At Monday’s property conference, Okolie was asked what acceptable disconnected the melee, responding: ‘I didn’t really disrespect him. I went implicit to him, and I said, “Madonna’s aged now”, and that acceptable it off. That was all. The remainder was connected camera.’

Following Okolie’s comments, Riakporhe met his rival with a decease look crossed the table. Asked if was nervous, Riakporhe responded: ‘I’m nervous, I’m frightened of a large hug that mightiness suffocate me.’

Okolie deed back: ‘I’m gonna woody with you, and woody with you successful bully fashion, and past you tin spell backmost to kissing Madonna and your modelling career. We’ll permission it astatine that.’

While establishing himself arsenic 1 of the country’s apical cruiserweights, Riakporhe, from Lewisham, has besides enjoyed occurrence distant from the ring, landing modelling roles with Burberry and Dior portion besides rubbing shoulders with celebrities and striking up a relationship with the ‘Queen of Pop.’

After photos of the 2 were shared connected societal media, including 1 from the 66-year-old sitting connected the boxer’s thigh astatine a party, Riakporhe aboriginal insisted their relationship was purely a platonic one.

‘She’s conscionable a friend, conscionable a friend,’ helium told The Sun. I’m a gym rat truthful I don’t truly person clip to spot a batch of my friends.

‘She’s a large person, I cognize her rather well. Her full beingness has beauteous overmuch been successful the nationalist eye. She’s bully company.’

After amassing an awesome tally of knockout victories, Riakporhe fell abbreviated successful his maiden satellite rubric changeable against Chris Billiam-Smith astatine Selhurst Park past summer.

Okolie was besides beaten by Billam-Smith, knocked down 3 clip arsenic helium mislaid his WBO cruiserweight title to the Bournemouth combatant successful 2023. Okolie, who has seen his warring benignant criticised astatine stages successful his career, was besides deducted points for holding onto his hostile during that loss.

Both Okolie and Riakphore person present moved up to the heavyweight part to re-establish themselves among the sport’s biggest names.

They are portion of a immense heavyweight paper connected 5 April astatine the Co-op Live Arena connected Saturday 5 April wherever Joe Joyce and Dillian Whyte volition besides collide.

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