Lawrence Okolie Aiming To Develop into A Three-Weight World Champ: “That’s Legacy, That’s Endlessly”
Lawrence Okolie travels to Poland on Friday, to problem WBC bridgerweight champ Lukasz Rozanski, and the previous WBO cruiserweight champion has spoken about his need to turn out to be a three-weight world champion – at cruiserweight, at bridgerweight, and finally at heavyweight.
31 yr previous Okolie, presently 19-1(14) and trying to rebound from his Might 2023 determination loss to Chris Billam-Smith, the loss seeing “The Sauce” lose the WBO cruiser belt, faces a harmful puncher in Rozanski, 15-0(14). Okolie has youth on his dimension at age 31 to Rozanski’s 38, and the person from London has the scale benefit at 6’5” to the defending champion’s 6’1”
It guarantees to be an attention-grabbing struggle on Friday, and Okolie is trying to snatch the belt after which make the transfer as much as heavyweight. Talking with Sky Sports activities, Okolie says his turning into a three-weight world champion would see him safe a legacy, “eternally.”
“It doesn’t matter what has occurred in my profession, I’ve had some nice fights, and I’ve had some poor fights but when I can finish my profession as a three-weight world champion then that’s legacy, that’s eternally. I’d like to struggle them [Usyk and/or Fury] as a result of I’d receives a commission tens of millions of kilos. It will be attention-grabbing getting in as an underdog and seeing how I rise to that event. I’m fairly life like in that I don’t suppose I’ll field any of these guys, they’ve solely received one other yr or so of boxing one another earlier than they sail off. It’s those beneath, the [Filip] Hrgovics and even [Joseph] Parkers which are going to be at world stage when it’s time.”
Who is aware of if it would ever “be time” for Okolie to problem for a serious heavyweight title, a lot much less really win one. Okolie does have the peak and the attain however there’s a heck extra to it than simply that. Okolie, although, has proven nice capability in a few of his fights, whereas he has additionally regarded fairly common in a few of his fights. If Okolie can rating a formidable, dominant win on Friday, this a full yr on from his dangerous evening towards Billam-Smith, followers shall be extra eager to take heed to him discuss going up and profitable a heavyweight title. It’s no forgone conclusion that Okolie beats Rozanski, nonetheless. Rozanski, who noticed off Alen Babic in double-quick time in his final struggle, this a bit of over a yr in the past, has the type of energy than may smash Okolie’s huge plans.
Each males may very well be rusty on Friday, and both man may get caught by one thing huge early on. Certainly, Friday’s struggle has the potential to be an actual, ‘blink and also you’ll miss it’ affair.
No approach this one goes the space. It may very well be over in a few thrilling rounds. Okolie has to ship right here, as one other loss, regardless that it might solely be his second defeat, could be robust to beat.
