Cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe believes boxing has allowed him to escape the “bottom of the barrel” and give opportunities to those without a voice.
Aside from the personal rewards which go hand-in-hand with being the number two WBO cruiserweight, south Londoner Riakporhe is keen to use his platform to help others.
“Growing up around the Aylesbury Estate (Walworth, south east London) we came from a low social class,” Riakporhe told the PA news agency.
“I had my mother and father present but I became a product of my environment. There are others who are from worse situations and they need a lot of support but no-one seems to care and that’s the saddest part about it. When I see them, I see myself in them which is why I do what I do.
“I have come up with different initiatives, I have come up with my foundation where we are doing a lot of things behind the scenes and slowly pushing them out there to try and give people opportunities.
“I became a reference, people started to use me as an example. I naturally grew into that position. I embrace it and I want to do more, it’s all about legacy, boxing is one thing and it’s something I love but there are other things that people will remember me for. I have a strong purpose.
“I want that major influence, I want to help others, use the platform to help others, give opportunities to those who are not seen and who will probably never be heard.”
Riakporhe has his sights set on cruiserweight glory this year after Lawrence Okolie’s defeat to Chris Billam-Smith last month, which would be quite the turnaround from his youthful surroundings where he was stabbed as a teenager.
And the orthodox fighter looked back at his upbringing and credited boxing with providing him with an outlet and discipline which allowed him to stay clear from distractions.
“To be honest I owe a lot to boxing. For you to elevate and be successful in boxing you have to be disciplined and that takes you away from self-sabotage,” Riakporhe added.
There are others who are from worse situations and they need a lot of support but no-one seems to care and that's the saddest part about it. When I see them, I see myself in them which is why I do what I do.— Richard Riakporhe
“To be successful you have to go to the gym, work out, avoid distractions. There are so many elements of boxing that develop your character.
“We had to learn and navigate around the place because we wanted to create a better opportunity for ourselves, live a better life and the only way we could’ve done that is by learning and developing ourselves every single day or staying in the same position at the bottom of the barrel and I didn’t want to accept that anymore, I wanted to make something of myself.
“In that environment you’re pretty much doing things to survive, people do things because they have to. People have no money so they get into crime, people have no jobs so they get into crime. It takes a lot of mental strength to not get involved in things going on in and around the area.”
