Riley (13-0, 7 KOs) faces the experienced Mateusz Masternak for the European title at London’s 02 Arena on Saturday night on the undercard of the MF Pro event headlined by Deontay Wilder against Derek Chisora.

The result of the clash will have significant ramifications at world level given that Masternak is No. 4 with the IBF while undefeated British champion Riley is No. 7.

Chris Billam-Smith sits at No. 3 but the top two spots are currently empty. And, following the IBF’s decision to strip former champion Jai Opetaia of his belt, the title is now vacant.

That means Riley’s showdown with Masternak (50-6, 33 KOs) is effectively a final eliminator for the red and gold belt, and the Londoner knows victory will validate his move to world level.

“Right now I’m not far off but I win this and then we will evaluate again,” he said.

“But everyone that has defeated Masternak has gone onto world level, nobody hasn’t, so I don’t see why my journey would be any different. I feel like he’s the ultimate cruiserweight journeyman, 56 fights, 33 knockouts and he’s given Chris Billam-Smith and Tony Bellew a hard time which shows that.”

Masternak faced Bellew in what was his first fight in England back in 2015, when he dropped a narrow split decision to the Liverpudlian, who claimed the vacant European title. Then, six months later, Bellew won the WBC world title by stopping Ilunga Makabu at Goodison Park.

In December 2023, Masternak returned to the UK to challenge Billam-Smith for his WBO title. Despite a spirited effort early on, the Pole retired in the eighth round with a rib injury.

Riley added: “That Bellew fight was more than 10 years ago on the Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte undercard so that's how long he's been gatekeeping this EBU title, that was even in the same arena as our fight so there is no disputing that Masternak is a solid fringe world level, 100 per cent European level fighter and with a win over him it proves that I'm world level.”

When asked what Riley was doing in December 2015, the first time Masternak boxed in a European title fight in Britain, the 28-year-old said: “So that was coming up to Christmas so I would have been working in JD Sports on Oxford Street and Size? in Carnaby Street.

“I would have been selling shoes for £6.52 an hour during the Christmas rush so I was a busy man. I was just saving up to buy my own Air Forces.”

Riley, The Ring’s No. 9-rated cruiserweight, has come a long way since then but he has struggled for regular activity following his decision to turn professional in November 2018. Saturday’s fight will be his first since he beat Cheavon Clarke at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr’s first fight with Conor Benn last April.

But he says the break was unavoidable due to his move from previous promoters Boxxer to MF Pro.

He said: “The last year was frustrating at points, life's always waves and seasons but it was frustrating.

“I never planned that in 2025 I'd only have one fight but then contracts come up, and you’ve got to get out of contracts, you try to get into a new contract, you can't reach terms and then you realise all that stuff takes months.

“It was unfortunate from the activity perspective but this is a business, this is my career, I want to get the most out of what I'm doing which is putting my life on the line and if that means taking X amount of months out the ring to negotiate the best way for me to make this fight lucrative, I'll do that. It's worth the sacrifice.”