‘It’s going to be scenes’ – Voices of South London: Riakporhe & Scotney

Crystal Palace will be hoping to pack a punch against Manchester City – something big-name boxers Richard Riakporhe and Ellie Scotney both know something about.

Both big-hitters grew up as Palace fans from South London, with Riakporhe – a former British and Commonwealth champion, recently turned heavyweight debutant  –  hailing from the Aylesbury Estate in South-East London; and unified super-bantamweight world champion Scotney a proud product of Catford.

Both have high hopes for the Eagles heading into Saturday’s Final – with Riakporhe even recently posting on social media about his premonition…

“You know what, I dreamed that Mateta scored a hat-trick,” The Midnight Train laughs. “Can you imagine? A lot of assists from all of the big players, Eze and people.

“It felt so real. I don't even tweet. If you check my timeline on Twitter, I don't tweet much. It was just one of them ones. I just had to post it up because that felt so real. It felt like it happened – almost like a déjà vu type of feeling.

“If that comes true, it’s going to be scenes.”

Scenes indeed – but even Mateta doesn’t quite score three beneath the arch, Scotney, whose roots are in South London – and who, earlier this season, ran into Ebere Eze in her local church – had a dream of her own before this season’s competition.

“I’m a person that goes off gut feelings, and generally, even when the Cup started this season, I was like: ‘we're going to win it.’,” she recalls. “I feel like this is the time!

“I've been brought up in a house where you didn't get a choice of who you supported. And as a kid, that was, you know, Andy Johnson, ‘the Magic Hat’ – that was just kind of drilled into me from a kid.

“I can remember going there, probably getting the worst seat in Selhurst when I was about five! My brother's a Season Ticket Holder, so it's grounded, it's rooted – even my Mum watches it. It goes back generations, so to be part and see them actually lift something… God willing, it could be magic.”

Both South London boxers are enjoying exciting new chapters in their career, with 35-year-old Riakporhe – who took on Chris Billam-Smith under the Selhurst Park lights last summer – having recently made his debut in the heavyweight division, winning out against Kevin Nicolas Espindola in Riyadh.

“The weekend was great,” Riakporhe beamed. “It was great to be back in the ring with a victory in my new weight division, heavyweight. It's very exciting times at the moment, so I'm happy.

“Boxing at Selhurst was like a dream come true. I can't believe that I managed to be one of the few fighters in history to have boxed at his favourite football club's stadium.

“I always wanted to be a footballer. That was my first-ever dream in sport – but because I didn't make it there, that's when I chose boxing. But I felt like I was a footballer on that day, because I got to box in front of such a big crowd and in a stadium on a pitch. It was surreal.

“I was honoured. I'm still annoyed off that I didn't get the result, but it is what it is – at least we did something quite special. I'm just happy that the fans that came out to support and spend their hard-earned money to come and see me. I'll forever cherish that. That's why I love Palace so much.”

Scotney, meanwhile, recently signed with signed with Jake Paul's promotional company Most Valuable Promotions and – this summer – will defend her IBF and WBO belts against Yamileth Mercado in New York.

The 27-year-old smiled: “Do you know what? It's crazy. I feel like I'm still partly thinking: it's not happening, is it? I'm in a surreal place, and just very grateful, but again – I’ve got to make the most of the opportunity.

“If you ask where you want to be… like Wembley for a Final, it's like for a boxer, it's Madison Square Garden, fighting for the belt. I literally feel like I'm sharing that same experience in the ring! It’s mad.”

Before the duo's summer engagements, however, it’s a trip to Wembley with the Palace – and so, we turn to predictions…

“It's funny, because me and my close friend, who is back and forth, he supports Man City and I support Palace,” Riakporhe explains. “He's like: ‘we're going to smash you.’

“I'm like: ‘OK, don't worry. We're going to have our day. You've had your day plenty of times, but I feel like this time, on this game in particular, we're going to have our day. We've always given you problems in the past.

“That's one thing that I love about this Palace side, the spirit that they have. They just support each other no matter what. Win, lose, draw, it doesn't matter. They just keep it going and keep the energy vibrant. I just love that energy.

“I feel like in all the games that they've played recently, they’ve just enjoying it. It's just like that. If they just play like that, it's all going to happen. Everything is going to come together. It's just timing. Divine timing.”

Scotney, meanwhile, says: “I think it's going to be a close affair. I think we'll be leading at half-time… Eze's scoring, Eze will score no matter what!

“I'm going to go with 2-1.”

Match Details

Crystal Palace v Manchester City

• Saturday, 17th May
• 16:30 BST
• FA Cup Final
• Wembley Stadium
• Live audio commentary on Palace TV+