By Elliot Worsell
Rarely does a boxer consider an ideal opponent to be someone they have strong feelings of love or hate towards. Instead, the perfect opponent typically lies somewhere in the realm of indifference, striking a balance between the two extremes.
Anywhere else, you see, there is danger. If, for example, you happen to enjoy the company of an opponent, there is every chance you will hesitate when the moment comes to do damage to them. Similarly, if hate, a far more common emotion in a sport like boxing, has reached such a level that you are desperate to demonstrate your hatred for this opponent in a legal manner, it is just as likely that your animosity will backfire and adversely affect your performance.
Lawrence Okolie, the former WBO cruiserweight champion, faced a unique and challenging situation last year. When he fought against Chris Billam-Smith, his friend and former gym mate, Okolie found himself in an unfamiliar and difficult position. As a boxer, his job is typically to harm opponents he doesn’t know. However, in this case, he was tasked with causing harm to someone he would ideally never want to hurt. Suddenly, Okolie’s opponent had a personal connection, with a name, a face, and a heart.
Suffice it to say, this twist on an old routine left Okolie rather lost. Not only that, with him softened already by his rise to world champion, the 31-year-old Londoner, at a time when he needed motivation and perhaps something or someone to hate, found himself drifting in a way that is never good for a boxer.
“I was just being lackadaisical,” he told Boxing News on Tuesday (May 21). “I wasn’t really taking it for what it is.
Becoming a world champion was a relatively effortless journey for me. Undoubtedly, I dedicated substantial effort to reach that point, but navigating through the amateur and professional circuits seemed surprisingly straightforward. It felt as though I only needed to appear and accomplish the task at hand.
“Although I did train hard for that (Billam-Smith) fight, I also understood that there would come a time when making that weight (cruiserweight; 200 pounds) would affect me and I knew that I also had to be 100% switched on to get the job done against Chris. But I didn’t feel locked in, if I’m honest. When I was seeing Chris, I was never thinking, Right, I’m going to box this guy, this is what I need to do. When I see (Lucasz) Rozanski (Okolie’s next opponent), that’s how I feel. I’m thinking, Right, I’m going to smash him and do this and do that. I might not say it to him, or anyone, but I have those kinds of feelings. With Chris, though, I just thought, Oh, there’s Chris. I’m going to fight him at the weekend. It was a very different feeling.”
Lawrence Okolie and Chris Billam-Smith reconcile as friends after their intense bout in Bournemouth on May 27, 2023.
As Okolie departed from Bournemouth that evening, there was a prevailing sense that his right to a rematch might be disregarded given the chaotic nature of the fight. If this were true, it would have severely hindered his motivation and confidence after being defeated. Furthermore, the perception of being sidelined or gradually replaced was the last thing Okolie needed as he planned his comeback in 2024, following his initial loss in his professional career.
“It took some time,” he recalled. “I thought I would go straight back into the rematch but that never happened. Then I was going to sack off boxing altogether and just carry on doing what I was doing outside of boxing. But I got the call to spar Joseph Parker for (Deontay) Wilder and that experience kind of reignited the flame in December. I was like, You know what, this is a top five heavyweight preparing for the biggest fight of his life and I’m a former cruiserweight world champion who has had some time off and we’re doing some good sparring. Joe (Gallagher) was also in the corner telling me good stuff and we spoke and kind of took it from there.”
In order to reach Joe Gallagher, widely regarded as boxing’s top motivator, Okolie had to initially seek motivation from within himself. This meant confronting difficult questions and determining if he truly had the desire to persevere in the sport when faced with challenges.
“I had such different motivations when I was coming up,” he admitted. “I was just thinking, Oh, am I going to make a million pounds? Am I going to win a world title? But then you get to a point where it has all happened and it wasn’t really giving me any fulfilment. Now I feel like when I win this belt (against Rozanski) it’s going to mean more to me. The training and the stuff I have had to do in the gym is what makes this win so important to me.”
When directly asked about his love for boxing, Okolie, with a record of 19-1 (14), responded by saying that he indeed loves the sport, although he is not particularly fond of the business aspect. However, he acknowledges that the business side is a necessary part of the sport.
“I had initially been eager to jump right back into the rematch with Billam-Smith, but eventually every fighter comes to understand that boxing is ultimately a business. Taking time off has actually had a positive impact on my life. I had the opportunity to witness the birth of my son and be more involved in other ventures I’ve established to ensure a comfortable life after boxing. Now, when I step into the ring, it’s not solely for financial gain. Of course, I still want to be compensated for my efforts, but boxing is no longer my sole means of support.”
“I’ve kind of just understood that at this stage in my life I am better off with it (boxing) than without it. I don’t need boxing to pay my bills, but it does make my life a lot better. I’ll be walking around and people will be asking me for pictures, so it satisfies that ego side. I can’t lie.
“Also, there aren’t many things I am world-class at. Boxing is one of them. I’m always going to push it because one thing I don’t want in my life is regret. With every fight I have won, and even the one fight I have lost, I never regretted anything afterwards. I genuinely tried my best in every fight and put as much work into it as I could. It’s the same with this fight (against Rozanski). What I don’t want is to turn 35 and be thinking to myself, I stopped boxing at 31, but I might have been able to do something in the last four years. I just want to push it as far and as hard as I can and find out. All the stuff I love outside of boxing is still going to be there when I finish, but boxing won’t be there for me in a few years.”
The WBO cruiserweight belt is currently held by Lawrence Okolie.
After realizing this fact, Okolie began training with Gallagher at his Manchester gym in December. In that environment, filled with boxers of various ages and skill levels, Okolie stood out not only for his physical stature but for his determination. Regardless, he was simply seen as one of the many boxers in the gym, working on drills and striving to prove himself, just like everyone else. The rest of the gym felt confident that they could defeat him if given the chance.
“Since I’ve been in this camp, Joe has really been forcing me to do everything,” Okolie said. “I’m talking track, versaclimber, bar bag, and just hard, hard work. If you don’t want it, this is where you’re going to find out. If you don’t want it, you will get to a point on the bar bag where you just think, F**k this, and just walk out. But we’ve gritted it out and that will show on the night, I think.
Being in a gym with young, determined fighters is the closest comparison I can make. Everyone around me is pushing themselves to the limit, leaving me with no choice but to do the same. I have dedicated my time and effort to this training. In this upcoming fight, I believe I will demonstrate a glimpse of my hard work, but in the next one, I plan to showcase a much greater level of skill and dedication.
Lawrence Okolie and Joe Gallagher
In order to continue his career, Okolie must defeat the undefeated Lucasz Rozanski this Friday (May 24) in Rzeszow, Poland. If he achieves this, Okolie will not only regain momentum but also become a two-weight world champion in the bridgerweight division (220 pounds) with a WBC title, all before the age of 32. While some may question the significance of the bridgerweight division, Okolie is not concerned and is solely focused on his upcoming fight. The opponent he faces is unfamiliar, almost faceless, but that only adds to the challenge he eagerly embraces.
“I must admit, being in Poland feels satisfying,” he expressed. “To be honest, it feels more like a work assignment rather than a comfortable home. Here, my sole focus is to fulfill my duties and responsibilities. This mindset allows me to concentrate solely on performing my job effectively. And that, I must say, makes me feel content.”
While it is clear that my desire to win extends to myself, my friends, and family, my immediate focus is simply on winning the upcoming boxing match. My sole task is to step into the ring and give my best performance. To emerge victorious, I must not settle for anything less than a well-executed fight.
I am unfamiliar with this particular individual. Observing him doesn’t evoke any emotions within me. There is no past history or context associated with him. He is simply another boxer capable of executing a double-jab, right hand combination. That is the only aspect I need to consider. I don’t have to contemplate the actions of my previous coach. I can solely focus on the upcoming fight and assess its outcome on the day.
Regarding the transition to a higher weight division, Okolie views it as a natural step in his career progression. Additionally, as he enters his thirties, the concept of allowing some flexibility has become almost essential.
“It’s been a lot better, I’ll tell you that,” he said. “There’s no way I could have made cruiserweight again. I still have to make bridgerweight but today, for example, I have had the opportunity to rest. I never usually get the opportunity to rest before a fight. I would always have to do something as a cruiserweight. But now I can rest a little bit and I think that’s going to pay dividends on the night in terms of my explosiveness.”
Lawrence Okolie (Ian Walton/Matchroom Boxing)
If indeed that is true, the prospect of a return to Lawrence Okolie being explosive will be as alluring to boxing fans as it is terrifying to potential opponents. “I think that comes with the territory,” he said when asked about the pressure to produce a big knockout every time. “I’m a big, strong guy and I should be doing it. In this particular fight, the guy is going to come out and try to do it to me, so I have to stamp myself on him early. He’s not (Oleksandr) Usyk, or one of these talented boxers; he’s a brawler who is going to come and throw bombs. If I don’t put him under manners and knock him out, he’s going to be aiming to do that to me.
“When I perform with precision, this becomes the perfect style for someone of my caliber. Facing opponents who possess similar dimensions and techniques is highly advantageous as I can effortlessly land my punches while swiftly evading their attacks. The true experience will only unfold under the spotlight on the night of the event, but I strongly believe that he is perfectly suited for a devastating knockout defeat.”
“I am determined to step forward and make a strong statement, as there is excessive chatter happening, including remarks from him. After running his words through the Google translator, I believe it would be gratifying for him to experience firsthand what I stand for.”
When Lucasz Rozanski eventually experiences it, the rest of us, observing from secure places, will have to witness or be reminded of Lawrence Okolie’s true nature.
