Lawrence Okolie v Lukasz Rozanski

[Master]

Lawrence Okolie will challenge Lukasz Rozanski for the WBC bridgerweight title on 24 May in Poland.

The former British and European champion has been out of action since losing his WBO cruiserweight title to Chris Billam-Smith in May 2023.

Okolie, 31, has decided to move up to the bridgerweight division, which sits between cruiserweight and heavyweight.

"Rozanski is a good champion with an explosive style but I'm coming to do some serious damage," said Okolie.

"He has never seen power like mine. I'm excited to go to Poland and test myself yet again on away ground."

London-born Okolie represented Team GB at the 2016 Olympics and his bout against Polish fighter Rozanski, who is 38, will be his first above the 200lb limit.

The WBC and WBA are the only bodies that currently recognise the bridgerweight class, which was created in 2020 by the WBC.

Rozanski has won all but one of his 15 fights via knockout and claimed the bridgerweight title in April 2023 by stopping Croatia's previously unbeaten Alen Babic in the first round.

"I'm defending my world title in my own backyard, in my city, fighting against a former world champion," said Rozanski. "It's a fantastic fight. For moments like these, I've trained hard all my life."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/68627687

[Master]

Okolie has vowed to bring a more “vicious mindset” to the ring in pushing for a knockout, but it is difficult to believe he will be a transformed man on Friday night.

Even working with Sugar Hill Steward did not result in a more entertaining style, with Okolie hugely frustrating in that defeat to Billam-Smith as he constantly looked to clinch.

This is on Sky tomorrow.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...41c2e8e5&ei=50

[Master]

Okolie just blew him out in the first round, knocking the old man down 3 times before the ref stopped the slaughter.

Good win.

[TIC]

rubbish fight

[Master]

Can't criticise Okolie for a one round blowout. The higher weight will suit him.

[TIC]

Can't criticise Okolie for a one round blowout. The higher weight will suit him.

i wasn't criticising lawrence

[Spicoli]

Good blow out for him. But really highlights how ridiculous a Bridgerweight division in as Usyk qualifies for it yet reigns as undisputed heavyweight champion . But hey, ridiculous has never stopped the wbc has it .

[Master]

Good blow out for him. But really highlights how ridiculous a Bridgerweight division in as Usyk qualifies for it yet reigns as undisputed heavyweight champion . But hey, ridiculous has never stopped the wbc has it .

If there was money at the weight smaller heavyweights could fight there such as Parker. It could be interesting for up and coming heavyweights like Okolie

[Alpha]

If good fighters fight each other then I'm fine with extra divisions but Usyk destroyed the myth that these guys are too big.

[Master]

If good fighters fight each other then I'm fine with extra divisions but Usyk destroyed the myth that these guys are too big.

Usyk is exceptional, special, unique and once in a generation.

[Alpha]

If good fighters fight each other then I'm fine with extra divisions but Usyk destroyed the myth that these guys are too big.

Usyk is exceptional, special, unique and once in a generation.

Parker has also just beaten 2 big punching super-heavyweights.

[Master]

If good fighters fight each other then I'm fine with extra divisions but Usyk destroyed the myth that these guys are too big.

Usyk is exceptional, special, unique and once in a generation.

Parker has also just beaten 2 big punching super-heavyweights.

Wilder wighed less than Parker.

Parker barely beat Zhang.

[Spicoli]

Good blow out for him. But really highlights how ridiculous a Bridgerweight division in as Usyk qualifies for it yet reigns as undisputed heavyweight champion . But hey, ridiculous has never stopped the wbc has it .

If there was money at the weight smaller heavyweights could fight there such as Parker. It could be interesting for up and coming heavyweights like Okolie

So basically it'll be a consolation division. But do you really think Parker is small and cannot compete at legit heavy? Just don't see a need for added stops as Cruiser has worked just fine for that all along. Boxing already tried the jr hvy/spr cruiser nonsense in the 90's and I think it consisted of maybe 2,3 fights and a tin belt that is collecting dust in some pawn shop right now. Okolie is 6'5 with a division on the verge of parting open. No time to waste away years being looked at as secondary to cruiser tbh. Plenty of decent lighter hvy fights he can take to climb all ranks and not just be isolated to the wbc experiment league.

[Alpha]

If good fighters fight each other then I'm fine with extra divisions but Usyk destroyed the myth that these guys are too big.

Usyk is exceptional, special, unique and once in a generation.

Parker has also just beaten 2 big punching super-heavyweights.

Wilder wighed less than Parker.

Parker barely beat Zhang.

Wilder did weigh less than Parker. He is a big puncher and listed as 6'7.

Parker did better against Zhang than Joyce did and I'd pick him to win a rematch with Joyce. Parker also defeated Zhang clearer than Hrgovic did.

[Alpha]

Good blow out for him. But really highlights how ridiculous a Bridgerweight division in as Usyk qualifies for it yet reigns as undisputed heavyweight champion . But hey, ridiculous has never stopped the wbc has it .

If there was money at the weight smaller heavyweights could fight there such as Parker. It could be interesting for up and coming heavyweights like Okolie

So basically it'll be a consolation division. But do you really think Parker is small and cannot compete at legit heavy? Just don't see a need for added stops as Cruiser has worked just fine for that all along. Boxing already tried the jr hvy/spr cruiser nonsense in the 90's and I think it consisted of maybe 2,3 fights and a tin belt that is collecting dust in some pawn shop right now. Okolie is 6'5 with a division on the verge of parting open. No time to waste away years being looked at as secondary to cruiser tbh. Plenty of decent lighter hvy fights he can take to climb all ranks and not just be isolated to the wbc experiment league.

Parker is more than capable of competing at heavy. Master is still fixated with size, even after all these years and Usyk showing one by one that it can be overcome.