LawrenceOkolie
"the Sauce"
Former 2 Weight World & WBC Silver Heavyweight Champion
Lawrence Okolie is currently one fight into his heavyweight journey and is tipped by many to possess the potential to reach the pinnacle.
The Londoner long outgrew the cruiserweight division he launched his professional career in and became world champion and, after a brief world title dabble at the new bridgerweight category, Okolie now plies his trade at a weight where he has probably always belonged.
He introduced himself in the land of the big fellas with a bludgeoning first round stoppage of the 18-1 German Hussein Muhamed at Wembley in December, becoming WBC Silver champion in the process.
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WINS
21
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LOSES
1
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DRAW
0
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kOs
16
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WEIGHT
223 lbs
(101 Kg) -
HEIGHT
6’5”
(196 cm) -
REACH
82.5”
(210 cm)
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Trainer
Joe Gallagher
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Born
16 December 1992
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Born in
London, UK
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nation
British
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residence
London, UK
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KO Percentage
76.19%
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Stance
Orthodox
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Rounds
110
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Debut
25 March 2017
Major Achievements
Okolie’s breakthrough on the world stage came in March 2021 when he became WBO world cruiserweight champion with an emphatic sixth round stoppage of Krzysztof Glowacki at Wembley Arena, knocking his opponent out with a mighty right hook.
He defended the belt against Dilan Prasovic at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the August, winning by third round KO, before making further successful defences against Michal Cieslak and then David Light.
His run at cruiserweight came to a disappointing end when he came up against former gym mate Chris Billiam-Smith in Bournemouth in May 2023.
After teaming up with Joe Gallagher, Okolie burst onto the bridgerweight scene, briefly, and blasted out Lucas Rozanski inside a round in Poland to become WBC world champion in the newly created division.
Achievements
The 2016 Olympian and Team GB member became WBA Continental
champion in just his eighth fight when he headlined at the o2 Arena against local rival Isaac Chamberlain in February 2018, four months later adding the Commonwealth title with victory over Luke Watkins.
He became British champion at Wembley Stadium in September of the same year with a gritty win over Matty Askin and successfully defended the belt against Wadi Camacho in March of 2019.
Records and Accolades
In October 2019 he became European champion by halting Yves Ngabu in the seventh round and the following year became WBO International champion by defeating Nikodem Jezewski in the second round.
Strengths and Key Techniques in the Ring
Okolie’s standout quality is undoubtedly his power and ability to close out a fight with a single blow. Physically he is hard to match up to, he possesses an angular style and a reach that opponents struggle to counter.
Fighting Style and technique
Okolie has often been the subject of criticism for an unattractive style of fighting. He has been accused of grabbing and holding, not allowing a fight to develop and wearing his opponents down with his
physically imposing approach.
It is now believed that the limitations that were evident in his cruiserweight fights were down to difficulties in making the weight and concern over his own energy levels if the fight were to reach the later rounds.
The thinking now is that, at heavyweight, it has unlocked
his natural ability because he is operating under no constraints during preparations and can simply focus on the fighting side.
Impact and Popularity
Okolie is an inspiration to young people for the way his transformed his life and physical appearance. As a youngster, Okolie readily admits he struggled with his weight and conditioning, but was then inspired by seeing Anthony Joshua win gold at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Okolie worked in a branch of McDonalds flipping burgers and changed the course of his life by entering the Fight Game.
He now runs a successful restaurant in his new home base of Dubai.
Future Prospects and Upcoming Fights
Okolie has been announced as fighting at Wembley Stadium on July 19 on the undercard of the undisputed match between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois.
He will take on fellow bridgerweight world champion Kevin Lerena from South Africa in a defence of his WBC Silver heavyweight title.
Fighting History
Upcoming
Kevin Lerena
Wembley Stadium, London, UK
WBC Silver Heavyweight championship
19 July 2025
Win
1 round tko
Hussein Muhamed
Wembley Arena, London, UK
WBC Silver Heavyweight championship
7 Dec 2024
win
1 round tko
Lukasz Rozanski
Hala na Podpromiu, Rzeszow, Poland
24 May 2024
Loss
12 round md
Chris Billam-SMith
Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, UK
WBO World Cruiserweight Championship
27 may 2023
win
12 round ud
David Light
Manchester Arena, Manchester, UK
WBO World Cruiserweight Championship
25 Mar 2024
win
12 round ud
Micheal Cieslak
O2 Arena, London, UK
WBO World Cruiserweight Championship
27 Feb 2022
win
3 round ko
Dilan Prasovic
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, UK
Vacant WBO World Cruiserweight Championship
25 sep 2021
win
2 round tko
Nikodem Jezewski
Wembley Arena, London, UK
Vacant WBO International Cruiserweight Championship
12 dec 2020
win
7 round tko
Yves Ngabu
O2 Arena, London, UK
EBU European Cruiserweight Championship
26 oct 2019
win
7 round tko
Mariano Angel Gudino
O2 Arena, London, UK
20 Jul 2019
win
4 round tko
Wadi Camacho
Copper Box Arena, London, UK
British & Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championship
23 Mar 2019
win
3 round tko
Tamas Lodi
O2 Arena, London, UK
2 Feb 2019
win
12 round ud
Matty Askin
Wembley Stadium, London, UK
British Cruiserweight Championship
22 Sep 2018
win
3 round TKO
Luke Watkins
York Hall, London, UK
Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championship
6 Jun 2018
win
10 round ud
Isaac Chamberlain
O2 Arena, London, UK
3 Feb 2018
win
2 round tko
Antonio Sousa
York Hall, London, UK
13 Dec 2017
win
3 round tko
Adam Williams
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, UK
28 Oct 2017
win
6 round pts
Blaise Mendouo
York Hall, London, UK
1 sep 2017
win
1 round TKO
Russ Henshaw
O2 Arena, London, UK
1 Jul 2017
win
1 round TKO
Rudolf Helesic
Bramall Lane Football Ground, Sheffield, UK
27 May 2017
win
1 round TKO
Lukasz Rusiewicz
The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, UK
15 Apr 2017
win
1 round TKO
Geoffrey Cave
Manchester Arena, Manchester, UK
25 Mar 2017
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