Lawrence Okolie with WBO title belt. Picture courtesy of Matchroom Boxing
Lukasz Rozanski’s title reign ended precisely because it started.
Lawrence Okolie stormed into his opponent’s house nation and can go away with the WBC Bridgerweight title in tow. The visiting Brit floored Rozanki thrice to finish the struggle at 2:55 of spherical one Friday night at Hala Podpromie in Rzeszow, Poland.
It was a becoming finish to the 13-month reign for Rozanski, who fought in his hometown for the third straight time. His earlier look was a 130-second bumrush of unbeaten Alen Babic final April 22 to win the vacant WBC Bridgerweight belt.
A number of postponed bouts led to an inactive stretch and no profitable title defenses for the fleshy 38-year-old. Okolie (20-1, 15 knockouts) answered the all, 52 weeks faraway from his lone profession defeat. The 2016 Nice Britain Olympian hadn’t fought since a factors loss to Chris Billam-Smith final Could 27 to finish his WBO cruiserweight title reign.
A bid to grow to be a two-division titlist noticed Okolie enter the ring at a career-heaviest 223 ½ kilos. His energy adopted him up the size, as evidenced by Rozanski’s frequent clinches instantly out the gate.
Okolie spent the temporary affair desperate to line up Rozanski (15-1, 14 KOs) for a protracted proper hand. A number of landed, probably the most important which floored Rozanki with simply over a minute to go within the spherical.
Rozanski beat the rely however was despatched again to the deck mere seconds later. The exiting titlist complained of a rabbit punch as he rose from the second knockdown. The declare fell on deaf ears and motion resumed, although the native favourite was on borrowed time.
Okolie closed the present with a proper uppercut alongside the ropes. Rozanski as soon as once more went down in a heap however managed to rise to his ft. Referee Daniel Van de Wiele examined Rozanski after his eight rely and decided he was not match to proceed.
The win noticed Okolie grow to be a two-division titlist, despite the fact that Bridgerweight is simply acknowledged by the WBC and the WBA. He beforehand gained the WBO cruiserweight title in a March 2021 fourth-round knockout of former champ Krzysztof Glowacki in London. Three profitable defenses adopted earlier than the defeat to Billam-Smith final Could.
It’s extremely uncertain that the 6’5” Brit will return to cruiserweight, the place he’s presently rated No. 4 by The Ring. The larger chances are a title protection at Bridgerweight earlier than an eventual heavyweight marketing campaign.
Additionally on the present, aspiring middleweight contender Fiodor Czerkaszyn (24-1, 15 KO) stopped Mexico’s Jorge Cota within the seventh spherical. The one-sided affair noticed Czerkaszyn, a Ukraine-born boxer primarily based in Warsaw, in absolutely management earlier than Cota’s nook threw within the towel. The official time was 2:52 of spherical seven.
Each bouts aired dwell on TVP Sport-Poland and Sky Sports activities.
Jake Donovan is a senior author for The Ring and vice chairman of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America.
Observe @JakeNDaBox
