Unbeaten Cruiserweight Viddal Riley could make his long-awaited UK debut in 2021 and hinted that Floyd Mayweather Jr could join his corner.
The 22-year-old, who is signed with Mayweather Promotions and trains out of the Mayweather gym alongside coach Jeff Mayweather, has had his opening four bouts abroad, but could return to the UK next year following an exchange with Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe.
Ellerbe is drawing up plans for Riley’s promotional stablemate Gervonta Davis to fight for the second time in the UK, following his triumph over Liam Walsh at the Copper Box Arena in 2017 and revealed that Riley would appear on the undercard.
Speaking to Ellerbe on an Instagram Live video, the Londoner said: “I can’t wait for those nights where I get to see the UK audience supporting me on my journey in the ring.”
Ellerbe then appeared to take his charge by surprise, disclosing: “We’re definitely going to bring a big fight over there and I’m letting the fans know right now, it’s going to be in 2021.
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“In 2021, I’m working on something big, big for Tank Davis, in the UK.”
A visibly shocked Riley then responded: “That’s news to me!”
Speaking exclusively to Pro Boxing Fans in February, Riley said he wanted to put on a memorable occasion upon his return to the UK.
“When I come back to the UK I want the city to stop, I want London to stop. I want it to be a reason to stop.
“Im not ahead of myself to be like I’m fighting this guy whose 8-5, let me sell out the Copper Box, no.
“I want it to be something, where people are like this is his first stiff test and I want to beat him in front of my home crowd.”
Riley (4-0, 2 KOs) who shot to prominence after coaching social media phenomenon KSI to a split decision win over fellow YouTuber Logan Paul in Los Angeles last November, as well as AnEsonGib, who was stopped in one round by Logan’s brother Jake Paul in January, made his debut in Mexico before appearing on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s victory over Adrien Broner at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in January 2019.
A trip to Dubai followed on a Badou Jack Promotions show, before his latest outing in Las Vegas in February, a unanimous decision victory over Muhammad Abdullah.
Riley has hinted that five-weight world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr could join his team, after videos circulated on social media of the International Hall of Fame inductee taking members of the Mayweather gym on the pads and in an exclusive interview with Pro Boxing Fans last month, Riley refused to rule out the possibility.
When asked if Floyd Mayweather Jr could join his team, Viddal said: “I don’t know.
“The way my life is it’s either terribly bad or it’s excellent, it’s great, it doesn’t have any middle ground.
“I can’t rule it out, because the way my life goes, I could rock up to the gym and Floyd could say you know what ‘you’ve got potential, I’ve seen it and let me work with you now that I’m coaching’
“He obviously saw something to agree to sign me in the first place.
“I don’t think he’ll ever be my head trainer I can say that but for me to say he’s never going to be a part of my coaching team I can’t rule it out, like I don’t know.
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“Now that he’s taking the coaching more seriously, when I’m allowed to go back to the US, whenever that is, maybe he can throw me a few tips in the gym.
“I just absorb everything anyway. If someone tells me something and I think it’s beneficial I can add it to my game immediately and perfect it.”
The former Repton ABC man, who was a decorated amateur, picking up eight national titles and has a victory over Daniel Dubois in the 2013 Junior ABA final has amassed over 1M subscribers on his own YouTube channel and believes he could be the next star of the Cruiserweight division.
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“Cruiserweight has always been a quiet division,” Riley continued.
“You get people who bring excitement in spurts like your David Haye’s your [Oleksandr] Usyk’s, you get a few notable Cruiserweights and obviously back in the day Evander Holyfield.
“But generally speaking the division is quite quiet, no one is really a star from the Cruiserweight division, but I feel like maybe I could be the person who changes that and brings the attention to that division and manages to bring the pay days to that division as well.
“Look at Tony Bellew and Usyk, that was a huge fight at Cruiserweight and it just goes to show if the right people are in the division we can still bring in the numbers.”
