Tottenham’s Viddal Riley claimed the British cruiserweight title and north London bragging rights with a clearcut points win over Arsenal fan Chev Clarke.

The pair had spent fight week wearing the colours of the Seven Sisters rivals they support, with Clarke even referring to the impressive Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as ‘a toilet’.

Clarke, who wore Arsenal red, was booed as his name was announced in the stadium and it did not get much better for him in a fairly uneventful fight during which Riley rarely put a foot wrong.

As such, it was no surprise when the judges all scored him a reasonably clear winner, although Clarke ensured he had to work for every minute of this 12 rounder.

Kieran McCann had it widest at 117-111 while Victor Loughlin (116-112) and Mark Bates (115-113) scored it closer. Regardless, there were few complaints from Clarke given Riley’s dominance, in his Tottenham white shorts trimmed with navy blue.

Riley said it was destiny who ensured that he would challenge for the British title at the home of his beloved football team and he refused to let this chance pass him by as fans continued to filter into the sun-kissed stadium on the Tottenham High Road.

There was little to report by way of action early on, as Riley quickly settled into a groove, boxing on the backfoot and circling Clarke, who himself was opting to box instead of relying on his size, strength and inside fighting, which have been his trump cards so often before in his career.

But Clarke began to up his output in the fourth round and appeared to land with a hard blow to Riley’s solar plexus. However, if it hurt Riley, he didn’t show it. Instead, he maintained his fleet-footed movement and was regularly landing with counter right hands over Clarke’s jab.

Both men complained that they lost their footing at times on the central branding on the ring canvas and, in the ninth round, referee Lee Every wiped it down with a towel to ensure the fight could continue safely. Then, with a minute left of the 10th, both men took a trip to the canvas after getting tangled up but neither was hurt.

Instead, Riley continued his patient, diligent attacks with Clarke, who was bolstered by the surprise inclusion of Virgil Hunter in his corner, struggled to pin his opponent down.

In the 11th, Riley landed the best punch of the fight, as he found the target with a sumptuous counter right hand as Clarke over-reached with an attack of his own. Hunter was in Clarke’s ear before the start of the 12th in a bid to inspire an unlikely comeback in the final round but it did not come. Riley rubber-stamped his victory with another solid round to ensure the belt went home with him to Tottenham.

This was also a battle of promoters, with Clarke promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom while Ben Shalom and Boxxer have guided Riley’s career to date. And, ahead of the main event where Matchroom’s Benn will face Boxxer’s Eubank, 27-year-old Riley ensured this was an early victory for Shalom.