It seems that Lawrence Okolie’s next fight in Britain is now confirmed.
According to the sanctioning body, the 31-year-old powerful fighter from Hackney has reached an agreement to defend his WBC Bridgerweight championship against left-handed boxer Kevin Lerena.
Okolie, with a record of 20 wins and 1 loss, including 15 knockouts, regained his form in May. He dominated Lukasz Rozanski in their fight, which took place in Rozanski’s home country. Having trainer Joe Gallagher in his corner for the first time proved to be advantageous for Okolie. The former Olympian encountered little opposition from the inactive Rozanski. Once Okolie started landing his punches and increasing his output, the outcome of the fight was essentially decided.
He reclaimed his victory almost a year after losing his undefeated record and WBO cruiserweight title to Chris Billam-Smith in Bournemouth. Eager to return to the ring promptly after a swift triumph, Okolie sets his sights on his next opponent, Lerena (30-3, 14 KOs).
Lerena, who is the mandatory challenger for the WBC Bridgerweight title, is set to face a British opponent for the second time in four fights. This comes after his previous loss to Daniel Dubois in a thrilling match over a year and a half ago. In the first round, Lerena managed to trouble Dubois with a powerful left hook, causing him to fall to the ground. Additionally, Dubois suffered a leg injury, resulting in two more knockdowns. However, Dubois displayed resilience and ultimately emerged victorious in the third round, much to his relief.
Lerena’s victories against Ryad Merhy and Senad Gashi propelled him to Saudi Arabia to face Justis Huni in March. Despite a valiant effort, Lerena fell short to Huni over 10 rounds. However, in the final moments of the fight, Lerena delivered a massive left hook that put Huni in serious trouble. Although Huni managed to hold on and secure the win, Lerena earned immense respect and admiration for his performance, especially considering the loss of his mother during fight week. As for his future plans, Lerena hinted at a possible return to Bridgerweight and now appears to be preparing to take on the 6ft 5ins Okolie in the upcoming days.
