Dillian Whyte vs Joe Joyce: Heavyweight Showdown at Co-op Live Arena
A Night of Heavy Impact – April 5, Manchester
On Saturday, April 5, at the state-of-the-art Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, Queensberry launches its new broadcast partnership with DAZN with an electrifying night of heavyweight boxing. Titled ‘Heavy Impact,’ this event promises non-stop action, featuring three heavyweight clashes and the professional debut of 2024 British Olympian Delicious Orie.
Main Event: Dillian Whyte vs Joe Joyce
The headline fight features a high-stakes battle between former world title challenger Dillian Whyte (31-3, 21 KOs) and former WBO Interim world champion and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Joe Joyce (16-3, 15 KOs). Both fighters are eager to reassert themselves as elite heavyweights, making this a thrilling crossroads clash.
Co-Main Event: Okolie vs Riakporhe
A local South London rivalry will reach its boiling point as two-weight world champion Lawrence Okolie (21-1, 16 KOs) takes on world cruiserweight title challenger Richard Riakporhe (17-1, 13 KOs) in a heavyweight grudge match.
Third Heavyweight Showdown: Adeleye vs Tshikeva
The hat-trick of heavyweight matchups is completed by a high-stakes battle between English champion David Adeleye (13-1, 12 KOs) and London rival Jeamie TKV Tshikeva (8-1, 5 KOs).
Fighter Profiles
Dillian Whyte’s Journey
Hailing from Brixton, Whyte rose to prominence in 2015 after facing Anthony Joshua for the British and Commonwealth titles. Despite losing via a seventh-round knockout, he rebounded with notable victories over Derek Chisora, Robert Helenius, Lucas Browne, and Joseph Parker.
In 2019, Whyte secured the WBC Interim world title by defeating Oscar Rivas, before facing Tyson Fury for the full world title in 2022. Now, after three consecutive wins, he is back in contention and ready for another shot at heavyweight supremacy.
Joe Joyce’s Comeback
Once considered a rising force in heavyweight boxing, Joe Joyce aims to bounce back from a string of losses, including back-to-back defeats to Zhilei Zhang and a setback against Derek Chisora in 2024. Prior to these losses, Joyce had an impressive run, claiming multiple titles and knocking out Daniel Dubois to become British, Commonwealth, and European champion. Now, at 39, Joyce is determined to return to the top.
Lawrence Okolie’s Heavyweight Move
A former WBO cruiserweight world champion, Okolie has now stepped up to heavyweight after winning the WBC Bridgerweight world title in 2024. He made his heavyweight debut with a first-round knockout of Hussein Muhamed and now faces his toughest challenge yet in Riakporhe.
Richard Riakporhe’s Title Aspirations
After an impressive start in the cruiserweight division, Riakporhe won the WBA Intercontinental title and defeated notable opponents such as Tommy McCarthy and Chris Billam-Smith. Following a WBO title challenge loss to Billam-Smith, Riakporhe now moves up to heavyweight, eager to establish himself as a contender.
David Adeleye vs Jeamie Tshikeva
Adeleye won the WBO European heavyweight title before challenging Fabio Wardley for the British title. After a setback, he rebounded with a first-round knockout of Solomon Dacres to claim the English title. Meanwhile, Tshikeva captured the IBO International title with a dominant performance over Michael Webster.
Get Ready for ‘Heavy Impact’ on DAZN
With three massive heavyweight fights and the debut of Delicious Orie, ‘Heavy Impact’ is set to be one of the biggest UK boxing nights of the year. Don’t miss the action live from Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena on April 5.
