Lawrence Okolie and Lukasz Rozanski both make weight for WBC World bridgerweight title fight
Lawrence Okolie and Lukasz Rozanski both made weight today ahead of their WBC World bridgerweight title clash on Friday, May 24th in Rzeszow, Poland, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland.
Former British, Commonwealth, European and World Cruiserweight Champion Okolie bids to become a two-weight world ruler as he takes on undefeated Pole Rozanksi in the champion’s backyard.
Powerful Polish puncher Rozanksi, who boasts a frightening 93% KO ratio with 14 of his 15 victories coming inside the distance, makes the first defence of the WBC Bridgerweight belt he claimed with a spectacular first-round stoppage win over the previously unbeaten Alen ‘The Savage’ Babic in April last year.
Official Weights:
Lukasz Rozanski: 101kg / 223lbs / 15st 12lbs 8oz
Lawrence Okolie: 101.4kg / 223.5lbs / 15st 13lbs 8oz
With the fighters weighed in, fans can look forward to world title action tomorrow live and exclusive on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 22:00 (BST) and Okolie is promising fireworks as he predicts a KO win over the champion Rozanski.
“The only thing that matters is tomorrow night,” said Okolie. “I’m going to be very composed and clinical. I’ve got several knockouts, and several early knockouts in my career and I’m going to get back to that. I win by stoppage. It’ll be a good counter shot or good work to the body.
“When you’re walking around at 118kg, cruiserweight isn’t happening. Even now I have to make bridgerweight, but it’s a lot nicer weight cut.
“You don’t get to 16 fights with 15 KOs without wanting it, so I think Rozanski is going to come flying out and try to assert himself and it’s up to me to show him my pedigree, the level I’ve been at for a number of years and the fact that I’ve got great punch power myself – especially with the extra weight that I’ve put on and not having to drain myself to make the weight, I should put on a very explosive performance.”
Okolie’s newest trainer, Joe Gallagher, has also urged his British bridgerweight to go for the knockout to make any possible victory absolutely certain, “I’ve told Lawrence he needs to knock him out. I’ve said to him since day one that if he thinks he’s going to go over there and win on points he’s absolutely mad. That’s just not how it’s going to be. There’s going to be a hostile crowd. He’s got to look to knock him out in round one or two, even 10 or 11, but he can’t let it go to points.
“We’re going over there to get the knockout. He’s got to go in there like Emanuel Steward and that Kronk style. He’s not going to get any favours. It’ll be hostile. He has to upset him any way he can. He’s got to be like Hagler when he came to Britain to face Minter. He’s got to do an absolute number on him and have the plane running ready to bring the belt back to England.”
Watch Lukasz Rozanski vs Lawrence Okolie for the WBC World Bridgerweight Title live and exclusive on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 22:00 (BST).