Just last week, Jack Massey, the CRUISERWEIGHT, had modest hopes of simply getting a fight date, venue, and opponent’s name. To his surprise, he received much more than that while sitting comfortably on his sofa at home. In addition to the fight details, he was presented with a pathway towards success, a precious reward for his patience. This unexpected turn of events brought him a life-altering opportunity.
Indeed, when informed of an injury to Poland’s Michal Cieslak, Massey was offered the chance to not only fight Isaac Chamberlain on June 15 at Selhurst Park, but, should he win, return to Cheshire with the European and Commonwealth cruiserweight titles. Better still, should Massey do what he expects to do and defeats Chamberlain, he will have also manoeuvred himself into position to fight the winner of the night’s main event between Chris Billam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe. In other words, having waited so long for something to happen, now, it seems, everything is about to happen for Jack Massey; now he has both a plan and an incentive.
“It’s massive,” Massey, 21-2 (12), told Boxing News. “It’s popped up at the right time; we’re fit and ready even though we’ve only had just over four weeks’ notice.
Although I initially had plans to be free in June, this incredible opportunity to participate in a significant fight has presented itself. The stakes are high as both the European and Commonwealth titles are up for grabs. Additionally, I will be part of a prestigious event headlined by a cruiserweight world title fight sanctioned by the WBO. My main focus right now is to successfully complete my own bout on June 15. Once that is accomplished, I can also consider the possibility of facing the winner of the main event. This situation has truly worked out flawlessly for me.
Massey’s assessment about the timing is accurate. Considering he has only had two fights in the past two years, and his last fight in January lasted less than two minutes, Massey was in need of a significant fight to reignite his motivation. It was crucial for him to have this opportunity promptly, as there was a genuine risk of the 31-year-old fading away from the limelight and becoming an avoidable opponent for domestic cruiserweights.
He expressed his frustration with the recent lack of activity, stating, “It has been incredibly frustrating. However, we have managed to remain diligent, composed, and dedicated to our gym sessions. I have not allowed myself to be distracted or waste time outside the gym. It is crucial to stay focused, as unexpected opportunities can arise at any moment. One must always be prepared for such occasions.”
Jack Massey
Isaac Chamberlain, Massey’s next opponent next month, is held in high regard, but Massey believes his size, strength, and power will give him an advantage in the fight. This match against Chamberlain, who has a record of 16-2 (8), feels like something Massey has been preparing for, albeit unknowingly. It seems like a fight that was destined to happen much earlier.
Massey chuckled, remarking on the peculiar fact that he and his acquaintance had never crossed paths before. Despite their shared experience in the ring, facing off against numerous elite domestic cruiserweights, their paths had never converged. It was astonishing, considering their lengthy presence in the boxing world. However, Massey confessed that his opponent had always caught his attention due to his involvement in significant bouts.
“He possesses skill as a fighter, particularly in boxing, but his abilities are not insurmountable. We have the capability to defeat him when the time comes. Personally, I believe my physical attributes, strength, and boxing prowess surpass his. I doubt he will be able to handle my power and size.”
The photo depicts Isaac Chamberlain, captured by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.
Massey’s ultimate goal is to achieve the desired outcome against Chamberlain on June 15. If he is physically able, he intends to take a seat and witness the main event between Billam-Smith, whom he competed against in an ABA final as an amateur, and Riakporhe, who defeated Massey in a 12-round decision back in 2019. Massey considers his own fight as a sort of semi-final or a rehearsal before the main event. He understands that a victory, particularly a remarkable one, could potentially pave the way for a WBO cruiserweight title challenge in the near future.
Massey expressed, “All eyes from the boxing community will be fixated on the cruiserweight division that night. Spectators will witness the intense battle between me and Chamberlain, followed by the showdown between Billam-Smith and Riakporhe. Ideally, this will spark their interest in witnessing the victor of our fight go up against the winner of the main event. It would be an excellent matchup to arrange next.”
“It’s quite amusing how events unfold. The world can be rather enigmatic at times. Remarkably, not only have I secured a formidable match, but it’s also scheduled to take place on the undercard of Billam-Smith vs. Riakporhe. This opportunity brings me one step closer to potentially facing the victor of that bout.”
Massey doesn’t really care about the outcome of the Billam-Smith vs. Riakporhe fight. What truly matters to him is that there is a clear winner who expresses a desire to challenge him in the future.
However, due to his newfound investment in the story and the chance to actively participate, Massey naturally possesses a significant level of curiosity and enthusiasm towards the impending fight.
“It’s quite challenging to make a prediction,” he commented. “I didn’t have high expectations for Billam-Smith’s previous fight against Mateusz Masternak. I had sparred with Masternak for a few weeks leading up to that bout, and I wasn’t in the best shape. I believed Billam-Smith had it easy. However, during the actual fight, I felt he was losing until he landed a powerful body shot that broke Masternak’s rib.”
Riakporhe has been an interesting figure for me. He has had his ups and downs, finding his stride at times but also losing his way a bit. I expected him to progress more than he actually has. There have been periods of inactivity, making it difficult to predict his future.
Although Riakporhe possesses obvious punching ability, Billam-Smith accurately highlighted the fact that Riakporhe has never truly knocked someone out cold. Instead, he tends to overwhelm his opponents, leading to the referee stopping the fight. I partially agree with Billam-Smith’s observation as Riakporhe lacks a clear example of instantly incapacitating someone with a single punch. However, there is no denying his formidable punching strength. Nevertheless, I don’t believe it reaches the level of power often attributed to Deontay Wilder.
Massey expressed his desire for a rematch with Riakporhe, as well as his interest in facing Billam-Smith. Reflecting on their previous encounter in the ABA final, Massey believes that both fighters have significantly improved since then, making it an exciting prospect. Massey emphasized that their styles complement each other, leading to a high-paced and action-packed fight without any clinching or grappling. Overall, Massey believes that a bout between them would be a thrilling spectacle.
Before anything else, Massey needs to confront Chamberlain, who is widely considered to be Massey’s most significant career accomplishment – assuming he can defeat him, that is. Massey confidently stated, “I’m going to prevent him from succeeding. I will catch him off guard and he’ll experience the force right from the first round, which won’t be to his liking. From then on, he’ll be on the defensive until I ultimately finish the fight by knockout.”
After years of living in darkness, Jack Massey experiences a sudden revelation, gaining the ability to perceive both the future and the illuminating light.
