Viddal Riley is a popular face, both outside and inside the boxing ring. While he is never away from boxing, his face is always plastered on the internet. If you haven’t seen him fight, you must have spotted him alongside KSI and other influencer boxers, training them and honing their skills. But the British boxer has put his boxing career on track and is now only a fight or two away from a world title. Will he finally realize the dream that he saw when he picked up boxing gloves at 6—becoming a world champion?

The fans will watch Riley take on Steve Eloundou Ntere on December 14 at the Exhibition Centre in Liverpool. The contest offers fans a tactically intriguing show, which will please the hardcore fans the most. But before that happens, let’s have a look at how the two fighters stack up.

Viddal Riley vs. Steve Eloundou Ntere: Tale of Tape

Riley, 27, has carved out a reputation as a tactically proficient fighter who is defensively aware and can adapt to any situation and his opponents’ styles. Since making his debut in 2018, he has gone on to put on comprehensive and critical performances and has an unblemished record to show for his exploits. The Tottenham resident is currently at 11-0 with 6 KOs. You can look at his KO ratio of 54.55% to get an idea of his balanced approach between calculated offense and disciplined defense.

In addition, Riley has the dimensions to impose his physicality and impose his way on his competitors, as he stands tall at 6’1″ (185 cm). He also has a reach of 76.5″ (194 cm), which allows him to showcase his strong fundamentals and lead the fight with his jabs. He mixes powerful combinations along with quick footwork, which troubles his foes in the ring. It has been the same story every time. But what about Ntere?

Ntere, 39, is the older of the two, yet has exact fights under his belt as Riley. However, the Belgian boxer had a rapid ascendance until his recent run. A couple of defeats have hampered his surge, and he has now fallen to 9-2 with 3 KOs. When you look at his KO ratio of 33.33%, you can paint yourself a picture of him putting a defense-first approach and relying on his defensive prowess to sway the fights in his favor.

But how does the Yaounde native fare against a taller boxer? He carries a size disadvantage, as he has a height of 5’10” (178 cm). That’s not only it. Ntere also carries a weight disadvantage, as he weighed 196 lbs when he stood on the scales last time, compared to Riley’s 198 lbs. Interestingly, his reach is not listed on the internet, but you can expect him to face troubles on that front too. How do these stats translate into performance on the night?

Prediction: who wins it?

What exactly separates Riley from the rest? It is his amateur pedigree, as he bagged a silver in the European Junior Championship and also has 8 national titles in his trophy cabinet, too. ‘The Rilest’ built his pro-career on this solid bedrock. In this fight, you can expect him to come forward, put pressure on, use his physicality and jabs, and do substantial damage to Ntere. What’s more? His quick footwork will allow him to be elusive in the fight and launch effective counters.

Riley has many things going for him in the fight—his age, current form, better fundamentals, youth, and quickness. Picking him as the winner is no no-brainer. There are very few who will think otherwise. But Ntere has shown resilience and willingness to adapt in his last fight. He can muster an aspiring performance and turn the tables. In the end, it will be a fight fought and won in the head first, as two fighters will be strategic in their approach instead of relying on force to churn out a result.

What do you make of this coming fight between Viddal Riley and Steve Eloundou Ntere? Who do you think will leave the arena with a win? Let us know in the comments below.