Lawrence Okolie can envisage a future heavyweight world title struggle with former gym-mate Daniel Dubois.
Beforehand a cruiserweight champion, Okolie shored up his place within the WBC heavyweight rankings with a 10-round factors win over South African southpaw Kevin Lerena on the undercard of Dubois’ struggle with Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley Stadium.
Having to cope with a torn bicep from the beginning of the struggle, he nonetheless managed to make use of his vary to maintain Lerena at bay, launching rights that pegged the South African again. Okolie tapped away at him with jabs and remained cautious of tight hooks coming his manner on the within.
The Londoner took a unanimous choice win, 99-91 on one card and a 100-90 shut out on the opposite two.
It was a powerful displaying, given the damage he was carrying and the way Lerena had knocked Dubois down thrice in 2022 earlier than being stopped himself.
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Check out the highlights from Oleksandr Usyk’s spectacular knockout victory towards Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
“I know I’m capable of that kind of thing. It’s just good to go out and execute and also adapting in the ring,” Okolie informed Sky Sports activities. “It was good expertise.
“I knew that Lerena was going to be tough, I knew he was going to fit, I knew that he was going to be dangerous from round one till the fight ended.”
Okolie is No 1 within the WBC’s heavyweight rankings, with Agit Kabayel their interim titlist and Usyk holding the total world championship.
The Londoner believes he’s on the verge of a world title shot. “I think Usyk will relinquish the belts, but I don’t think it will happen till the end of the year,” Okolie stated. “I think the belts become fragmented and I’m in position to slip in there.
“I need to be in prime place, match, prepared when it does occur.”
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Promoter Frank Warren believes there’s an urge for food for a 3rd struggle between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.
He added: “Kabayel’s interim world champion so if Usyk were to relinquish he would automatically become full world champion. God willing I maintain my No 1 ranking then I will be the mandatory for that fight.
“He is a superb fighter. However I do not suppose you’ll be able to win a heavyweight world title with out beating a superb fighter.”
Okolie wants to pick up the WBC belt, and can see a possible fight with Dubois happening in the future.
“Completely. Any heavyweight round in the meanwhile now I take a look at as a possible opponent. I imagine in myself, I imagine I am going to have the ability to get my palms on that world title,” he stated.
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Oleksandr Usyk revealed a hilarious nickname for his knockout punch after his dominant victory over Daniel Dubois at Wembley.
“There’s no one that is off limits.”
Okolie has educated with Dubois each on the GB newbie squad and in Shane McGuigan’s fitness center. “We’ve done hundreds of rounds [in sparring]. It does make me confident,” he stated.
He thinks Dubois will come again from his defeat to Usyk, although he considers the struggle day ‘occasion’, which coach Don Charles described as a “gathering”, to be a mistake.
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Lawrence Okolie tells Toe2Toe his subsequent most popular opponent after his unanimous choice win over Kevin Lerena.
“I just think it’s wrong for the type of person I believe Dan is. I don’t know what he’s like now but I think he’s the type of fighter that needs to be locked in a room with all the lights switched off and listening to scary music on the day of a fight and not having a good time,” Okolie stated.
“Sorry, no. If he had won we would have said: ‘Wow, look at him, he knew what was coming.’ So that’s the risk that you run when you do stuff like that.”
However he concluded: “At a certain level when you’re good you’re good. Daniel Dubois’ good. Usyk’s obviously fantastic”
