Former two-weight champ Lawrence Okolie says he wants to make up for some inactive spells by staying busy as he fights in his new weight class, the heavyweight division. After despatching Hussein Muhamed in his heavyweight debut, this last night, the win coming via a crisp right hand in the opening round, “The Sauce” spoke with IFL TV, and he said the heavyweights are “easier to hit clean.”
Now aiming to complete his goal of becoming a three-weight champ (Okolie having won the WBO cruiserweight belt along with the WBC bridgerweight title), the 31 year old had some names thrown at him as possibilities seeing as they are ranked pretty high in the WBC ratings, as is Okolie himself, who is currently ranked #5. Okolie says he will take any fight that gets him where he wants to be, and that’s challenging for a world heavyweight title.
“There’s not a heavyweight fight I’m not up for,” Okolie said. “At the end of the day, I’ve been close to Joe [Joyce], I’m close to a lot of fighters if you can call it close. They’re like my work colleagues, but sometimes you’ve got to square up and get it done. If that fight presents itself I wouldn’t say no. As I said, whatever’s going to get me to another world title is what I’m looking for. Definitely (Jarrell Miller and Andy Ruiz), those are two big boys, good hands. I’d have to box very, very sharp and that’s where I’d have to use athleticism to really get the shots. Both those guys are really durable. Those are good fights.”
It really is going to be interesting, and fun, watching Okolie’s heavyweight journey. A fight against “Juggernaut” Joyce would certainly be something to see, as would Okolie against either Miller or Ruiz. The big question, or one of them, is what will happen if/when Okolie gets hit on the chin by a big heavyweight shot? Okolie, who weighed a hefty 260 pounds last night, showed he has speed, accuracy and obviously power at the new weight, but that’s the stuff going out, what about the stuff coming back at him?
Again, it’s going to be interesting watching how far Okolie, 21-1(16) can get in the heavyweight division. Fans are always eager for more heavyweight talent, especially heavyweight talent that can score knockouts. Maybe Okolie is indeed a future heavyweight champion.
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