LAWRENCE OKOLIE is in action tonight on the Anthony Joshua vs Kubrat Pulev undercard.
The cruiserweight contender was supposed to fighting Krzysztof Głowacki for the WBO world title but the Polish fighter tested positive for coronavirus.
Lawrence Okolie will be hoping to fight for the WBO cruiserweight world title this weekendCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Okolie will still feature on the bill and promoter Eddie Hearn has explained it still be for the world title – against Nikodem Jezewski.
Regardless, The Sauce will feature for the first in a ring since October 2019, when he beat Yves Ngabu at the O2 Arena.
What is Lawrence Okolie’s boxing record?
As a professional boxer, Okolie’s record is 14-0 with 11 of those fights coming by stoppage.
Okolie biggest fight to date was against compatriot Issac Chamberlain in a battle dubbed ‘British Beef’, which 27-year-old won on points.
Lawrence Okolie beat Yves Ngabu for the European title last yearCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
After beating Chamberlain for the WBA continental cruiserweight title, Okolie went on to win the Commonwealth and British straps against Luke Watkins and Matty Askin.
Okolie then picked up the European title in a brilliant seventh-round TKO of Ngabu last October, in his second fight with trainer Shane McGuigan.
Lawrence Okolie height, weight, reach and stance
The Sauce stands at a lofty 6ft 5in and at the weigh-in will be as heavy as 14st 3oz, or 200lbs.
Okolie has previously spoken about moving up to the heavyweight division, where his own manager Anthony Joshua is competing.
Lawrence Okolie is 14-0 as a professional fighterCredit: Reuters
Joshua is the WBA, WBO and IBF champ in boxing’s blue riband division.
Okolie’s reach is just over 82 inches and he is ranked as the seventh best cruiserweight in the world by Ring Magazine.
Okolie is right-handed, therefore he fights out of the orthodox stance.
Lawrence Okolie amateur career
Okolie won gold at the European Olympic qualifying competition in Turkey back in 2016.
He defeated France’s Paul Omba in the final, having beat Abdulkadir Abdullayev in the semis.
Okolie was then selected to compete for Great Britain at the Rio Olympics that very same year.
Lawrence Okolie teamed up with Shane McGuigan last yearCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
He won his opening fight against Igor Jakubowski before losing to stylish Cuban Erislandy Savon in the next round.
Okolie also fought in the World Series of Boxing for the British Lionearts and also lost to Savon, but this time by TKO.
He turned pro soon after, signing a deal with Hearn and Matchroom, before penning a management contract with Joshua and 258 Management.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
