Lawrence Okolie says he is back training, now injury-free. As fans may recall, Okolie, who is 1-0 as a heavyweight, this after having won belts at cruiserweight and bridgerweight, was to have fought fellow Londoner Richard Riakporhe earlier this month – only for his “undisclosed injury” to force him out of the fight.
Now, “The Sauce,” who is trained by Joe Gallagher, is plotting his ring return, and he says his ideal two fights this summer would be, first, one with Dillian Whyte (these two having a history, going back some years), and then one with Agit Kabayel.
Okolie, speaking with Talk Sport, said Kabayel’s team have said the unbeaten German will not be ready to fight again until September, and Okolie wants to “crack on” and fight before then. And Okolie says a fight with long-time rival Whyte would be perfect.
On Kabyel: “We’ve had lots of conversations…..desperately tried to get Kabayel but he and his team don’t want to fight again until September, so I’m cracking on and I’m going to have a summer fight,” Okolie said. “Yes, he [Kabayel] has looked good, beating [Zhilei] Zhang, Frank Sanchez and [Arslanbek] Makhmudov, but either way I want to be a world champion in my third weight class and he’s one of the ones I’d have to beat.”
On Whyte: “The reality is, it’s a good fight for both of us, good ranking potential for him, just on a personal one I wanna beat him, don’t want him to retire and I’ve always got that chip on my shoulder, want to settle it properly,” Okolie said. “If he doesn’t box me he’ll be a bum and it just looks weird…..let’s do it.”
Both fights here are interesting ones. Okolie Vs. Whyte would likely be a fun fight, while the winner of Okolie Vs. Kabayel would be banging down the door for a world title shot; Kabayel being the current WBC interim heavyweight champ.
Okolie, 21-1(16) got some criticism when he was recently elevated to the NO1 position in the WBC heavyweight rankings, but to his credit, Okolie has said, “The ranking is fantastic but I still have to fight.”
If he fights Whyte and beats him, and then Kabayel and beats him, Okolie will be looked at by all as a heavyweight who is very much for real.