Tottenham fans left fuming as Arsenal anthem ‘North London Forever’ echoes around their Stadium
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Tottenham Hotspur fans were left fuming on Saturday night when Arsenal’s iconic anthem, North London Forever, blared around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of the British cruiserweight title clash between Viddal Riley and Cheavon Clarke.
Clarke, a lifelong Arsenal supporter, made a bold entrance for his title defence, walking to the ring draped in a white robe adorned with a gold cannon — a nod to his beloved Gunners. Adding fuel to the rivalry, Clarke had earlier described Spurs’ stadium as a “toilet” during the build-up to the fight, saying: “It would have been better at the Emirates, wouldn’t it? I mean, this is a toilet.”
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Despite Clarke’s fiery entrance, it was Viddal Riley — a proud Tottenham fan — who had the last laugh. In front of a spirited home crowd, Riley produced a commanding performance to claim a unanimous decision victory, capturing the British cruiserweight title. Scorecards of 117-111, 116-112, and 115-113 reflected Riley’s superior display throughout the contest.
Arsenal fan and boxer Chev Clarke called the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a toilet bowl yesterday and walked out to North London Forever this afternoon.
I love it!🤣
— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) April 26, 2025
The fight, part of the undercard for the highly anticipated showdown between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, was fought on a slippery canvas that saw both boxers struggle for footing at times. The bout was even paused briefly in the ninth round for the surface to be wiped, with both fighters hitting the deck in the tenth after a tangle.
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Nevertheless, Riley maintained control across most of the fast-paced exchanges, frequently outmaneuvering Clarke and spinning him away to land clean shots. Clarke, who was seeking redemption after suffering his first professional loss to Leonardo Mosquea last December, remained competitive but could not bridge the gap as Riley surged to victory.
Saturday’s event marked yet another major boxing night at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which has previously hosted high-profile bouts including Anthony Joshua’s defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and Tyson Fury’s victory over Derek Chisora in 2022. In addition to boxing, the 62,850-capacity venue has welcomed NFL games and concerts from global music icons such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Guns N’ Roses, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
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