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As it happenedended

Dillian Whyte vs Oscar Rivas LIVE results: Brit gets points decision after huge Dereck Chisora knockout win

Relive all of the drama after Whyte beat Rivas to become WBC manadatory challenger

Luke Brown
O2 Arena
,Jack Rathborn
Saturday 20 July 2019 19:06 EDT
Comments
Dillian Whyte claims he is the underdog against Oscar Rivas

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Dillian Whyte recovered from a knockdown to beat Oscar Rivas at the O2 and become the mandatory challenger to Deontay Wilder’s WBC world title.

The Brit started brilliantly and almost knocked Rivas down in a thrilling second round. But the Colombian gamely battled back and sent Whyte to the canvas in the ninth.

However, Whyte held on to claim a unanimous decision. Relive all of the drama below:

What time does it start?

The action begins at 6pm BST, with the main event expected to start around 10:30pm.

Where can I watch it?

The fight will be shown live on Sky Sports Box Office and is available to purchase for £19.95. For viewers in the Republic of Ireland, the fight will cost €24.95.

Undercard

David Allen vs David Price (heavyweight)

Dereck Chisora vs Artur Szpilka (heavyweight)

Ricard Riakporhe vs Chris Billam-Smith (cruiserweight)

Lawrence Okolie vs Mariano Angel Gudino (cruiserweight)

Charlie Duffield vs Dan Azeez (light heavyweight)

Fabio Wardley vs Mariano Ruben Diaz Strunz (heavyweight)

Dalton Smith vs Reece Smith (super lightweight)

Alen Babic vs Morgan Dessaux (heavyweight)

Round seven

Blimey, what an end to the round! Riakporhe FINALLY begins to connect. He lands a vicious flurry of straight rights and hooks from both wings and Billam-Smith begins to sink into the ropes. He's dazed. The ref judges that he is only being held up on the ropes and he receives the count. 

He hangs on until the end of the round, despite Riakporhe going in for the kill. But can Billam-Smith hold out until the end of the fight? He still needs to win another couple of rounds to be sure...

Vithushan Ehantharajah20 July 2019 20:35

Round eight

A peculiarly quiet round. Riakporhe takes his foot off the gas and Billam-Smith is able to recover, while dancing around his opponent, flicking out his jab. Why isn't Riakporhe going for him here? I'd score that to Billam-Smith and have him ahead in the fight...

He is dead on his feet, though. Riakporhe has two rounds to blow him out of there, for me.

Vithushan Ehantharajah20 July 2019 20:36

Round nine

Riakporhe lands an uppercut which hurts Billam-Smith, who clings on for dear life. But what heart! He fires back a series of punches and goes to work on Riakporhe's body, digging deep and battling back best he can.

The pair are then brought together and they both get a ticking-off for various naughtiness in the clinch. Riakporhe ends the round on top, with a straight right snapping Billam-Smith's head back. Another Riakporhe round.

Vithushan Ehantharajah20 July 2019 20:41

After that round, and the knockdown in the seventh, I have it dead level heading into the final round!

Macklin has it 87-83 in Riakporhe's favour, on Sky, which I find utterly ridiculous. 

Vithushan Ehantharajah20 July 2019 20:42

Round ten

A cagy final round. Riakporhe comes out swinging, but Billam-Smith receives something of a second wind and repeatedly dances out of range. He continues ripping into Riakporhe's body, and perhaps does enough to pinch the round, but Riakporhe finishes with an eye-catching flurry.

I think Riakporhe has just about done enough to win that. But it was so, so close. 

Vithushan Ehantharajah20 July 2019 20:45

Result

96-93 Billam-Smith

97-92 Riakporhe

95-94 Riakporhe

Vithushan Ehantharajah20 July 2019 20:49

What are those cards all about!? 

Richard Riakporhe wins by split decision.

Boos from the crowd.

Vithushan Ehantharajah20 July 2019 20:49

The big boys are up next. Dereck Chisora takes on Poland's Artur Szpilka.

Vithushan Ehantharajah20 July 2019 20:58

Artur Szpilka is first up to the ring, with a tightly-wrapped Polish flag covering the lower half of his face. What a scary fella. Not the sort of man you'd like to bump into down an alleyway late at night.

And here comes Dereck Chisora ​to Hotel California by The Eagles, with David Haye walking close behind him. That will never not look weird. 

Prepare for fireworks!

Vithushan Ehantharajah20 July 2019 21:04

Do they really, honestly need to read out the full list of sponsors ahead of every. single. fight? 

Anyway, grumbling over, settle in for round one! 

Vithushan Ehantharajah20 July 2019 21:05

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