Okolie ready for British title fight
Lawrence Okolie has already won the WBA continental and Commonwealth cruiserweight titles this year (pic: Adam Davy/PA) - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
The latest boxing news from Hackney
Lawrence Okolie plans to take another step towards his own world champion dream when he takes to the ring at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.
The Stoke Newington-born bruiser faces Matty Askin for the British cruiserweight title on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s defence of his world heavyweight titles against Russia’s Alexander Povetkin.
The 25-year-old has already won the WBA continental title and the Commonwealth belt this year and sees British strap as the next step on his way to global glory.
“My ultimate goal is to be the unified world champion and I want to go down the traditional route: clean up domestically and prove to myself and the fans that I belong at that level,” he said.
You may also want to watch:
“Matty is a very experienced fighter who is ranked in the top 10 in the world.
“I want to make my way towards the world scene and so I need to be able to beat people like Matty to do that.
Most Read
- 1 Lower Clapton restaurant to hold free meals event for struggling people
- 2 Jealous Dalston murderer stabbed victim through his heart with scissors
- 3 Hackney tenant who was left 'terrified' for years reaches court settlement
- 4 Hackney mother seeks compensation after living with mice infestation
- 5 Olympic boxer joins fight to make vegetable poverty history in Hackney
- 6 Hackney Half marathon to go ahead amid uncertain Covid restrictions
- 7 Stamford Hill singer says Hackney people helped him on creative path
- 8 Tributes paid to Hackney sports hero and coach Lloyd Cowan
- 9 Lower Clapton blaze damages maisonette
- 10 Police issue fines worth £15,000 after suspected illegal rave in Hackney
“I’ve won the Commonwealth title in my first two years and I want to keep that trajectory going by winning the British title and hopefully winning a world title before the next Olympics.”
Okolie’s promoter Eddie Hearn added: “Lawrence is continuously surprising me with his desire to step up, but this is by far his biggest jump.
“I rate Askin very highly and he has shown much improvement in his last couple of fights. This is another genuine 50-50 fight for the undercard.”
* Light heavyweight Anthony Yarde is set to return to action when he headlines a Frank Warren show at the Brentwood Centre on October 20.
The 27-year-old has been out of the ring since stopping Dariusz Sek at The O2 Arena in June, giving a successful defence of his WBO European and inter-continental titles.
Yarde’s next opponent is to be confirmed, but is sure to be a dogged fighter capable of testing the Hackney-born boxer’s world title credentials.
The full card, which is still to be confirmed, is set to be screened live on BT Sport and will include plenty of local talent.
But Yarde will hope that he can grab all the headlines as the star of the show.
Additional reporting by Ken Sellek.
