Lawrence Okolie talks about winning world titles at bridgerweight before another move up
Ahead of his WBC world bridgerweight title challenge in May, Lawrence ‘The Sauce’ Okolie (19-1, 14KO) revealed his exact plans for the next 12 months, which includes winning a second world title, a move up to heavyweight, and even mentioned his intended target in the blue-ribbon division.
The hard-hitting Hackney man told Betway of his plans for the next three fights, which begins with a WBC bridgerweight title challenge to unbeaten champion Lukasz Rozanski in Poland next month, “God willing, I win this fight, there will be a defence of the belt and, in 2025, I think it will be time to move up to heavyweight.
Okolie added, “I want some more weight, build up some more muscle and get in there with the bigger guys.”
The 31-year-old former WBO world cruiserweight champion then picked out his No.1 specific opponent he wants to face at heavyweight and why, “I would want to fight Dillian Whyte at heavyweight. Other than that, it’s a case of wherever the chips lay.
“Obviously, from when I was a Commonwealth champion, we had a little run-in at that time and when I said I wanted the fight and believed I would beat him, it was brushed under the table as if ‘this guy is a Commonwealth cruiserweight’.
“But I have managed to become a world champion and am about to become a two-weight world champion so if I am able to do that then why not.
“From what I remember at the time, he had a much bigger reach and a bigger name but he kept using it to spout negativity towards me at the time so I said something and it escalated from there. If the opportunity came, that’s the fight I would grab with both hands because I think it would be a good fight for both of us to have a punch-up.
“I think Dillian gets hurt often late on in fights so I think a KO is what I would be aiming for.
“He is a fringe world level guy and has been at the world level status but if I am going to go in at heavyweight and compete for a world title, I have to be able to beat someone like Dillian and it would be a great fight.
“He’s been a dog, been in big fights, and hasn’t been afraid to fight anyone so I think he has had a good career for where he came from. He wasn’t able to win a world title, but he attempted that against Tyson Fury and lost to world champions and they’re the only people he has lost to. He’s only lost to the top-tier heavyweights but what is he like now at this age? It’s hard to say, I don’t know.
After leaving Shane McGuigan for SugarHill Steward, Okolie is now training in Manchester with Joe Gallagher. He lifted the lid on how things are progressing, “It is a bit of a culture shock. I always train hard but it’s different with this one, especially when I had one year without having a fight so it’s like hitting the ground running. There’s definitely benefits of it but it’s hard [moving to Manchester].
“There were a couple of reasons [I chose Joe Gallagher as trainer]. The first reason is that we trained together when I sparred Joseph Parker before his fight with Deontay Wilder.
“I liked how he was in the corner, the sort of stuff we worked on and after the spar I thought he gets my style so let’s work with that. When I realised I was boxing in Poland against a Polish world champion with such a high knockout ratio, I wanted a coach who is going to be ready to be in the trenches with me. Somebody who wants to win like I do and that’s where it has all come together.”
On the difference between Joe Gallagher and Shane McGuigan as trainers, Okolie offered, “I think they are both good. Shane McGuigan was more of a coach for pads, and you get better on the pads with Shane, but they are both good tacticians so it’s hard to say.
“Joe is more about work whether it’s punch bags, pads and other little tools in the gym that I hate so they’re both good and it’s hard to compare.”