RYAD MERHY is extremely unhappy with the fact that Lawrence Okolie from Britain has been given the opportunity to compete for the WBC bridgerweight title before him.
However, before handling his business in the heavyweight division, the 31-year-old Belgian has another task at hand. This Saturday night (April 13), Merhy will be present at the American Bank Centre in Corpus Christi, Texas, aiming to derail the world title dreams of Jared Anderson, Top Rank’s promising rising star with an impressive record of 16-0 (15).
When Merhy, 32-2 (26), spoke with Boxing News’s Andi Purewal recently he described himself as a “Bridgerweight with opportunities” and that his real ambitions lie at boxing’s newest weight class. The 224lbs division was created by WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman in 2020 with the aim of bridging the gap between heavyweight and cruiserweight.
Despite believing he would have the opportunity to challenge champion Lukasz Rosanski, Merhy, the current number one contender, must now patiently await his turn. On May 24, the undefeated Pole will defend his belt for the first time against Lawrence Okolie, a former WBO Cruiserweight titleholder.
“Lawrence Okolie worked his magic,” Merhy stated.
“He wasn’t even in the rankings, but now he’s about to face the world champion right before my eyes. It’s quite unexpected, so let’s see how it unfolds, but I’m prepared for what comes next.”
In December, Merhy’s résumé was greatly enhanced by his victory against Tony Yoka, the 2016 Super-Heavyweight Olympic Gold medallist, in Paris. Nonetheless, the Frenchman’s professional career has been declining as he suffered his third consecutive defeat against Merhy, following his losses to Martin Bakole and Carlos Takam.
Merhy expressed, “I am a Bridgerweight with ambitions that I am striving to capture.”
“I had the incredible experience of defeating Olympic medallist Tony Yoka, which was truly amazing. However, a new opportunity has arisen to face off against an American opponent. I pride myself on being down to earth and realistic, acknowledging that the heavyweight division is not my ideal weight class. While I can defeat certain opponents, there are others who possess a size advantage that is too much for me to overcome. I have put in the effort to gain weight through gym workouts, but it is not my natural weight class.”
Becoming the world champion in the bridgerweight division is my top priority. As the current number one ranked contender, it is my first goal to achieve this title. While I am open to exciting opportunities in the heavyweight division, my ultimate ambition remains focused on becoming the world champion in the bridgerweight division.
