Reputations on the Line in June

British boxers are gearing up for a thrilling June, competing for glory from London to Saudi Arabia. Stakes are high, with both reputations and coveted titles in the balance.

The month kicks off with a heavyweight showdown as Daniel Dubois squares off against Filip Hrgovic. This bout is pivotal, with the victor potentially lining up a world heavyweight title shot in their upcoming match.

Having previously held both the WBA interim and regular titles, Dubois currently finds himself beltless. His recent attempt to dethrone Oleksandr Usyk for the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles showed promise as he initially believed he'd secured victory.

Despite knocking Usyk down, the punch was controversially ruled as low. The bout continued, culminating in Usyk's triumph over Dubois in the ninth round. Dubois later bested Jarred Miller this past December. Now, he faces the unbeaten Hrgovic in Saudi Arabia, entering with odds at 7/4. acca deal .

Hrgovic stands as the IBF title's mandatory challenger, still awaiting his shot since defeating Zhilei Zhang back in August 2022.

Two subsequent fights have tested Hrgovic, but none as challenging as this. With an Usyk vs. Fury rematch slated for October, the IBF may soon declare their title open due to prolonged anticipation.

The victor of this contest is likely to face Anthony Joshua for the now open title at Wembley in September. Bookmakers currently rate Hrgovic at 4/9 to overcome Dubois, but Dubois, armed with a formidable punch, is capable of causing an upset.

On June 15, a boxing spectacular hits Selhurst Park, home to Crystal Palace Football Club. Chris Billam-Smith will defend his WBO cruiserweight title against the unbeaten Richard Riakporhe.

Familiar with outdoor world title fights in football stadiums, Billam-Smith defeated Lawrence Okolie on points last year at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium. Now, he's set for a second title defense. get revenge on his challenger.

These two previously locked horns in 2019 for the WBA Inter-Continental title at London's O2, where both were undefeated—Billam-Smith lost that night on a split decision.

As often happens in boxing, the judges' perspectives varied widely. One saw Billam-Smith ahead by three points, another narrowly favored Riakporhe, and the third gave Riakporhe a five-point edge.

Bouncing back, Billam-Smith won his subsequent ten fights, claiming the Commonwealth, British, and European titles.

In May 2023, he edged out Okolie via majority decision amid wild scorecards—two judges preferred Billam-Smith by large margins, yet another called it a draw despite Okolie's multiple knockdowns and deducted points.

Now, Billam-Smith eagerly anticipates this chance to avenge his past defeat to Riakporhe. Even as the titleholder, bookies have him at 7/4 in the odds.

Riakporhe turned professional in 2016 and boasts a flawless 17-fight record. His initial nine victories included eight decisive knockouts, followed by that contentious split decision over Billam-Smith.

Post Billam-Smith, Riakporhe captured the vacant British cruiserweight title from Jack Massey on points, then waited two years before beating Krzysztof Glowacki, who had struggled against Okolie.

Recently, Riakporhe dispatched Dylan Bregeon in just two rounds, achieving 13 out of 17 wins inside the distance. He's poised to challenge the champion fiercely, holding 4/9 odds to seize the WBO cruiserweight crown. Riakporhe aims to repeat history by defeating Billam-Smith once more.

The victor might clash with another Brit, as Isaac Chamberlain takes on Michal Cieslak for the EBU European cruiserweight belt on this card. He previously fell to Billam-Smith in 2022, an uncommon bout with unanimous judge scores.

Now the British and Commonwealth champ, Chamberlain enters with 6/5 odds to claim the European title, whereas Michal Cieslak, at 4/6, rides a five-fight winning streak, all stoppages. He's only lost during world cruiserweight challenges. Expect a tight contest favoring the champion slightly.