Lukasz Rozanski vs Lawrence Okolie clash for the WBC World bridgerweight title this weekend
Lawrence Okolie (19-1, 14KO) once again heads to enemy territory, this time he’s in Poland to face their fearsome champion Lukasz Rozanski (15-0, 14KO) for his WBC World bridgerweight title, live on Sky Sports.
The 38-year-old defending champion has a 93% KO ratio and Okolie was down more than three times in his last fight, where he suffered his first and only defeat to Chris Billam-Smith in May 2023.
Now training with Joe Gallagher, ‘The Sauce’ aims to get back to winning ways in dramatic style by becoming a two-weight world champion, with plans to move up to heavyweight further down the line.
But will he achieve this incredible feat? BBN asked their trusted panel of experts for their predictions.
Joey Mills BetFred: “Whatever you think of bridgerweight as a division, this fight is an intriguing one. Rozanski is unbeaten and he packs an awful lot of power. The Pole has stopped 14 of his 15 opponents, with no one making it as far as the fifth round with him.
“Okolie was once noted for his power, but he hasn’t scored a knockout since 2021. His last three fights have all gone the distance, perhaps indicative of the step-up in levels. Often, a fighter who was once a concussive puncher finds themselves having to go the long way round against world-ranked opponents.
“Despite the belt he wears, it is hard to tell at this point if Rozanski is truly a world-level fighter. His biggest wins have come over Alen Babic and Artur Szpilka, the latter of whom has been knocked out by Derek Chisora, Deontay Wilder and Adam Kownacki in the past.
“What stands before Rozanski on Friday is something he has never seen before. A world-level fighter in their fistic prime. For Okolie, Rozanski is a dangerous but not-unprecedented proposition. He has dealt with bigger names and tougher men. I feel his experience at the top level will see him through here.
“Rozanski can bang and Okolie will likely have to feel that power at some point. But I think he will get through the storm. Given the extra weight Okolie will be carrying, and his lack of recent stoppages, I think his boxing acumen will win the day.
“I’m going for an Okolie decision victory at 6/1. Britain is about to get its first bridgerweight world champion.”
Arijan Goricki IBO title contender: “I think that Okolie could stop Rozanski late in the fight. Possibly that Rozanski’s corner stops the fight between the rounds. It’s all in Okolie and his mindset for this fight. I hope that he has cleared his head after the loss and is ready for fresh start.”
Burim Sylejmani FIDES Sports GmbH: “Rozanski has never seen more than four rounds in a fight, while Okolie has gone 12 rounds, which is a huge advantage. However, it cannot be assumed that the fight will really go anywhere. Okolie is a slight favourite for me.”
Tim Rickson BBN Editor: “I believe that, despite his less than attractive style of boxing, Okolie will have made lots of improvements since his last fight, which was exactly a year ago now, and another loss would be extremely hard to come back from.
“But against this champion, I see the challenger as a level above. Rozanski is basically a barroom brawler. Anything he throws will be telegraphed and Okolie should be able to see it coming or use his superior range to keep him off.
“He is brutal, aggressive and powerful, but I’m siding with the more skilled fighter, Okolie, to win by staying composed and clever, and by countering when Rozanski falls in.
“Rozanski has been dropped before, so I believe Okolie can pull out a big shot and stop him early in the fight, but he has to fight his fight and not got drawn into a scrap.”
Sam Condy BBN Writer: “It’s a hard fight to predict, largely due to the mystique surrounding Rozanski’s abilities. Despite holding a belt, it’s hard to tell whether he is truly a world-beater, there is a lack of notable names on his record so far, though a win against Okolie would do his reputation wonders.
“I think Okolie will have to be wary of Rozanski’s power, there are questions surrounding the quality of his chin after suffering such a brutal battering against Billam-Smith.
“However, I think Okolie’s boxing IQ and ringcraft will allow him to stifle any devastating combinations coming his way and allow him to cruise to a close but clear unanimous decision win.”