LAWRENCE OKOLIE will clean up the cruiserweight division — once he clears his name as a nightmare house-mate.
When in training camp under coach Shane McGuigan, the Hackney ace shares a place on the University of Kent campus with fellow Team GB star Luke Campbell.
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Unbeaten Lawrence Okolie has turned this garden into something like an outside gym as he prepares to resume boxing[/caption]
Londoner Lawrence Okolie hopes to swap fences for rings as he is says he is ready to return to fighting, if safety is assured[/caption]
World title hopeful Lawrence Okolie says he was unfairly blamed by fellow training campers for the state of their kitchen[/caption]
Okolie is looking to add to his impressive record of 14 wins from 14 fights, including 11 by KO[/caption]
When SunSport visited before lockdown, the kitchen was a state and Campbell joked he feared for Mrs Okolie when her boy was back under her roof making a mess.
But the 14-0 banger countered Campbell’s claim and revealed he has more than tidied up the old family home since his return to the capital.
After a gruelling backyard session captured at safe distance by SunSport, Okolie, 27, laughed: “You can’t be listening to Luke’s claims about the house too much.
“I feel I need to clear my name. I am used as a scapegoat by the guys down there. It is not all my mess.
As long as all the correct safety measures are taken, I am ready to fight. If the money’s right and we are properly paid, I’ve no problems — especially for a world title.
Lawrence
“Since I have been back in London on lockdown I have been renting my own place and doing all my own cleaning.
“I have also been able to help renovate my mum’s place with my brother. We laid a new floor and other things.”
Okolie, who used to work at McDonald’s before becoming one of the most feared punchers in the 14st 4lbs division, feels fighters who are willing to box behind closed doors must be rewarded for the risk.
His Matchroom promoter, Eddie Hearn, claimed 20 per cent of his stable are not interested in running the gauntlet.
But Okolie, who was in line for a shot at the vacant WBO title against Krzysztof Glowacki before the pandemic, is in the hungry 80 per cent camp.
He said: “I don’t live with anyone who falls into the vulnerable or high-risk category.
“And as long as all the correct safety measures are taken, I am ready to fight.
“If the money’s right and we are properly paid for the event, I’ve no problems — especially if it is for a world title.
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“I’m training hard and have been ready to step up for a long time so I would not pass up the right opportunity.”
As a chubby child who was bullied, Okolie used visualisation to motivate himself to become a supreme athlete.
It worked and he made Team GB for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
He added: “I still use similar visualisation methods. As a kid, it would be about flashy cars or material things but that changes as you get older.
“This lockdown has added to that. What use is a garage full of cars or a wardrobe full of clothes if you are not allowed to go anywhere?
“The things that everyone is missing are their health and safety and then the chance to be with their family and loved ones — and you don’t even need money for those things.
“This lockdown has reminded me what the most important things in life are.”
The lockdown has not kept Okolie down as he goes through his training regime[/caption]
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
