The latest news from the local boxing scene

Stoke Newington cruiserweight Lawrence Okolie tops the bill at The O2 Arena on Saturday against Brixton’s Isaac Chamberlain.

The fierce London rivals meet on a bill organised by Matchroom supremo Eddie Hearn, having previously traded insults on social media.

Okolie started his amateur career at Hoxton’s Lion ABC in a bid to lose weight and went on to win a national youth title at super-heavyweight, before leaving to join Bethnal Green’s famous Repton BC.

While with the east London club, Okolie also picked up a London novice senior title, before later adding a London north-east elite crown wearing the colours of Dagenham BC.

The tcruiserweight then joined the Team GB squad in Sheffield, winning gold at the European qualifiers to reach the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, where he lost to Cuban opponent Erislandy Savon.

Unbeaten in seven fights since turning professional, with six of his wins coming by way of knockout, former University of East London student Okolie faces another unbeaten prospect in Chamberlain.

The 23-year-old south Londoner, who has nine wins on card, is managed by ex-fighter Ted Bami and trained by Hackney resident James Cook, the former British and European super middleweight champions who runs the Pedro club in Clapton.

*Hackney light-heavyweight Anthony Yarde will have to wait a bit longer for his first action of 2018 after his scheduled fight on February 10 was cancelled.

Yarde, the WBO European and Inter-Continental champion, had been due to meet Tony Averlant of France at the Copper Box Arena in Hackney Wick.

However, promoter Frank Warren revealed that bill had been cancelled after some of the boxers involved had to withdraw through illness and injury.

*Hackney’s 49kg national champion Amo Singh has been entered into the London Youth Champioship by his current club, Repton BC.

The tournament doubles up with the London Intermediate Championships, which are open to boxers above novice level, but are yet to fight at elite level.

The competitions will take place over the course of this weekend at the Roundhouse venue in Dagenham.