Mateusz Masternak has revealed his admiration for Viddal Riley committing to becoming a “true master” of boxing instead of the easier future he could have pursued with Misfits.
The Pole on Saturday defends his European cruiserweight title against Riley in what also represents an eliminator for the newly vacant title of the IBF.
They fight on the undercard of Deontay Wilder-Derek Chisora at London’s O2 Arena in what represents not only the promoters MF Pro’s first significant promotion but the 28-year-old Riley’s first professional fight in almost a year, since when he has resisted prioritising the dubious temptation of fighting under the lamentable Misfits banner to pursue MF Pro’s desire to lead him to a professional world title.
The Briton’s profile surpasses his achievements as a professional – he has won all 13 of his professional fights – but in the 38-year-old Masternak he confronts not only his toughest ever opponent, but one proven at world level.
“I know that if you want to fight at the highest level you need to make sacrifices,” Masternak told BoxingScene. “So the question for him is what do you want to be the best in? In boxing, there is no time or space to lose your focus. Lennox Lewis – instead of preparing for the fight, he was doing marketing, and he lost the fight [against Hasim Rahman in 2001]. I want to go out there and box as well as I can; do my work, 100 per cent, and concentrate on that.
“It only shows that he’s got a dream to become the true master, not the master of marketing. It’s a good idea. [But] I understand that marketing, in professional boxing, is very crucial.
“[He has] skills. Quick, and legs. He’s a good boxer. He’s got good movement; a good jab. He looks like an experienced fighter even though he hasn’t fought long. I’m convinced we will show a good fight on a very high level.
“He’s a different fighter or boxer than [past opponents Chris Billam-]Smith or [Tony] Bellew. Smith is more of a wrestler. Bellew is a smart-and-clever boxer who could use my mistakes. But Riley wants to win the fight by using his legs. He has very good legwork. He feels the distance very well.
“My experience tells me not to judge anybody and not to expect anything, because in the ring it can turn around differently. However, I believe that I’ve got a good plan for this bout.”
Masternak – who previously lost to Chris Billam-Smith and Tony Bellew, as well as Yuniel Dorticos – was then asked if he believes he has improved as a fighter since his previous fights in the UK, the most recent of which came in 2023, and he responded: “Throughout my career I was taking care of myself. I was always 100 per cent [professional] sportsman, so my path in boxing didn’t damage me.
“Everybody says the age doesn’t matter – obviously it does matter. But I don’t feel that my condition is going down.”
