Billam-Smith v Riakporhe - big-fight predictions

Chris Billam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe title an all-British world cruiserweight title connected Saturday astatine Selhurst Park successful London.

Riakporhe, 34, has a triumph complete his rival successful 2019, but is nan challenger to Billam-Smith's WBO title.

The undefeated Londoner has been fixed location advantage arsenic he bids to triumph his first world title.

The only blemish connected Bournemouth combatant Billam-Smith's 20-fight grounds is that constrictive conclusion by Riakporhe connected points.

Can Billam-Smith gain revenge against Riakporhe aliases will nan world title alteration hands?

BBC Sport has asked nan world of boxing and beyond for their predictions.

Retired world super-middleweight champion George Groves: "I deliberation Billam-Smith wins via stoppage, betwixt rounds 9 to 12."

Cruiserweight Viddal Riley: "I foretell Billiam-Smith to get nan triumph via divided decision.

"He will struggle early arsenic some fighters will beryllium cagey frankincense playing into Riakporhe’s hands, but erstwhile nan conflict gets heated, Billam-Smith should travel into his ain and get nan win."

Middleweight Denzel Bentley: "It’s a bully conflict and I deliberation some person improved massively since they first fought. Billam-Smith has grown successful assurance since becoming a world champion and Riakporhe has go much relaxed and amended pinch his punch placement. I deliberation if Riakporhe doesn’t sound him retired past I person Billam-Smith connected points.

Former world cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie: "My first prime would beryllium Billam-Smith connected points but if Riakporhe tin get to him early, I tin spot him winning wrong 4 rounds."

European lightweight champion Sam Noakes: "I deliberation Billam-Smith will do capable to triumph this time. I cognize their past conflict was adjacent but that was a small while agone now and he’s sewage bully momentum and boxed astatine a bully level since."

Retired world lightweight champion and boxing coach Anthony Crolla: "It's a really reliable 1 to call. It's a awesome conflict and I don't spot it going nan region for illustration nan first one. If Billam-Smith gets deed anyplace adjacent arsenic overmuch he did successful his past conflict against Mateusz Masternak, I deliberation it will beryllium Riakporhe wrong 4 rounds.

"But I deliberation Billam-Smith will beryllium a batch much protect than he was past time. He mightiness person to get up disconnected nan level but I deliberation he could grind retired a precocious stoppage."

Former world super-welterweight champion Hannah Rankin: "Billam-Smith has had nan harder fights successful his profession and I deliberation has nan amended experience.

"I deliberation Riakporhe will beryllium vulnerable successful nan early rounds but arsenic agelong arsenic location isn’t excessively overmuch deterioration and tear from nan fights Billam-Smith has been in, I deliberation his acquisition will get him nan triumph connected Saturday nighttime pinch a late-round stoppage.

Retired world title challenger Paul Smith: "I deliberation Riakporhe stops Billam-Smith precocious connected successful nan fight."

Pundit and retired bantamweight Spencer Oliver: "It’s very reliable to call. I deliberation some guys will spell done reliable times, possibly moreover prime themselves up disconnected nan floor.

"With fights of this magnitude and pinch what’s connected nan line, location advantage could beryllium important and I thin conscionable towards Riakporhe to scrape done connected a points decision."

British middleweight champion Nathan Heaney: "I'm going pinch Billam-Smith because he's been successful nan large shot stadium script earlier truthful he knows what its each about. I've heard Riakporhe is 1 of nan hardest punchers going but Billam-Smith is simply a apical lad and a awesome fighter."

Retired world super-featherweight champion and pundit Barry Jones: "I’m going pinch nan acquisition that Billiam-Smith has gained since they some faced each different to conscionable get him complete nan line. If he tin unit Riakporhe to conflict astatine a precocious pace, he mightiness beryllium capable to debar nan large correct manus and smoother nan activity of nan bigger puncher. So it’s Billiam-Smith to summation revenge, connected points."

Former world cruiserweight champion and boxing pundit Johnny Nelson: "I'm predicting a precocious Riakporhe stoppage triumph successful a hard-fought fight."