Johnny Nelson knows what it takes to operate at the highest level in the cruiserweight division and he’ll be an interested spectator when Chris Billam-Smith faces Richard Riakporhe on June 15.
The pair meet for the WBO cruiserweight title, which will be live on Peacock in the US (click here for more information), and Nelson thinks the challenger can get the job done.
Riakporhe is looking to dethrone the champion and he can do that by repeating the result of their first fight in 2019.
Riakporhe outpointed Billam-Smith back then and Nelson is confident that the Londoner can achieve the same result in their rematch.
"Richard Riakporhe stops Chris Billam-Smith inside the distance. The only thing we can doubt is, can he go to the well and dig deep when there's nothing there?" said Nelson when speaking to Sky Sports.
"We've seen Chris Billam-Smith do it. We haven't seen it from Richard Riakporhe, because he's not had to do it, and so if he has to dig deep, that's when you think: 'oh my goodness.' That's where you favour Chris Billam-Smith.
“But I think Richard Riakporhe, now is the time he's got to shine. Now's the time [for] a career-best and a career-best should do the job."
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