Lawrence Okolie vs. Yves Ngabu - 26 October 2019

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Lawrence Okolie has confirmed his next fight against European champion Yves Ngabu and hopes to stay on course for a world title shot early next year.

The British and Commonwealth cruiserweight champion will take another step-up in class against a fellow unbeaten fighter in Ngabu, who was ringside for the Hackney man's stoppage win over Mariano Angel Gudino at The O2 in July.



Ngabu has joined Dominic Ingle's gym in Sheffield, defeating Micki Nielsen in February, and Okolie is full of respect for the 30-year-old Belgian with 14 knockouts in 20 wins.

"I rate him," Okolie told Sky Sports. "He's a good, come forward, counter puncher, undefeated, good knockout ratio.

"On paper, it's a really tough fight. I'm looking forward to it.

"I know he trains with Dominic Ingle. A lot of world champions come in and out of there, same as Shane McGuigan, my coach.

"When I break it down and look at Ngabu versus me, just stylistically it's a good match-up for me. Talk is cheap, we're going to have to wait until the night.

"I want to be out twice this year. I want to get it soonish. I'll be looking to get it done quite quickly, next couple of months. I had a fight not too long ago. I've just been enjoying a week or so off, but I'm still in good shape, so I can go straight in."

Okolie has climbed to No 2 in the WBA rankings as he pursues a world title fight and will also be keeping a watchful eye on Mairis Briedis and Yuniel Dorticos, who will battle for the WBO, IBF and vacant WBC belt in the World Boxing Super Series final.

"I'm in a position where I could stay and defend the British titles a few times and then go up, but I said no, I want to go for the European," he said. "God willing I'm able to win that. I'm definitely going to push towards world level and try and grab a world title next year.

"All of the top fighters are getting to the end of their careers. Usyk has moved up, Gassiev has moved up, then you've got Briedis and Dorticos at the top of the cruiserweight tree at the moment.

"Getting in the mix with them, I don't feel like I'm that far off, a little bit more conditioning, a little more seasoning. Hopefully this next fight will be able to teach me stuff, but at the same time I'm able to win and get me ready for those next levels."

A hotly contested domestic division includes the unbeaten duo of Richard Riakporhe and Mikael Lawal, and Okolie hopes to return to face a British rival in the future, preferably with a world title around his waist.

"The fighters at world level, they're dangerous, it's not easy, as much as I push myself," he said.

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Lawrence Okolie ready to step up to European level

Okolie will take on Ngabu on the Regis Prograis-Josh Taylor undercard at The O2 on October 26, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The Hackney fighter, who has won all 13 of his fights and picked up the British and Commonwealth titles since joining the pro ranks in 2017, did not hesitate when offered the chance to step up in class against the undefeated Belgian.

"I just think that when you're young and able [to fight] then you should do," said Okolie during Monday's press conference.

"This is going to be the third champion I've boxed. I've beaten the Commonwealth champion, I've beaten the British champion and I'm looking forward to beating the European champion.

"He's got a great team. I've heard a lot of interviews with him, I like the way he speaks, very confidently.

"I'm just looking forward to putting myself through it in training camp and then going to work.

"It's going to be very, very good, very exciting. He's got a kind of style that is almost opposite to mine.

"He's a come-forward fighter but he also knows how to box. He's got good power punching and various other stuff like that, so there's going to be a lot of stuff I'm going to have to deal with on the night, but I will deal with all of these comfortably."

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Ngabu (20-0, KOs 14) will be fighting for the first time outside his native Belgium but the 30-year-old is confident of successfully defending his title for the third time.

"He [Okolie] is a good fighter. He's tall, he's strong and everything until now he did perfect, but I believe I can beat him and I believe I am stronger than him and we'll see on October 26," said Ngabu.

[smiling assassin]

If okolie was boxing in me garden I still don't think I'd go outside to watch

[JimJim2009]

If okolie was boxing in me garden I still don't think I'd go outside to watch

[blanca]

If okolie was boxing in me garden I still don't think I'd go outside to watch

Defo. If i need a kip ill switch it on

[Ruthless-RKO]

Defo. If i need a kip ill switch it on

It's his own fault.. He can't box.. If he knocks boxers out, it's a different story, but when he's boxing over the distance, it's just

[Ruthless-RKO]

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[handsofstone]

Its the right time to step up for Okolie, he's already wiped out the domestic scene, picked up the British and Commonwealth titles along the way and now keeps the traditional route going by challenging for the European and another chance to dethrone the champion as opposed to fighting for vacant belts which seems to be commonplace these days, not always the easiest on the eye but he's got something about him and with Shane McGuigan in the team he should improve, ive always liked Shane's cornerwork, also you've got to give Okolie credit for someone who looks like they need to learn some basic fundamentals like using that insane reach to develop a decent jab, he has beaten some really good domestic fighters in Askin, Watkins, Camacho and Chamberlain, he's also KO'd the guy Ngabu beat to win the title


Don't know much about Ngabu but the fella Mikki Nielson who he beat in his last fight was alright when I watched him, I'm just hoping to see Okolie neglect some of the holding and spoiling etc, try to clean his work up, maybe study a bit of Bob Foster or something??

[Stuarty]

I was gonna try and keep my beer for just before the main event but Okolie might force me to open them early then head to the shop for more!

[The_Don1]

Wot is he wearing?

It's called a do-rag

[Ruthless-RKO]

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[jameswilson]

Painful that this guy keeps making it onto PPV.

Did we ever insist on Sven Ottke being on PPV? No.

Hopefully he has a few points docked for holding or fouling, he’s done it so much through his career.

[adislav123]

did u just compare ottke to okolie?

[DrDuke]

This fight was the case, where the premature stoppage was OK.

[Enlightened-One]

Okolie’s fighting style is an acquired taste. It’s unfortunate that my palate deems the favour to be highly pungent, foul and nauseous.

[handsofstone]

Thank fvck that's over, Okolie was brutal again, holding , spoiling and pushing down, at least he should've had a point off, probably a couple, the ref was hopeless, I thought he'd been stripped of his power, he done bugger all apart from give Ngabu a few evil stares, there wasn't much quality but the little there was did come from Okolie, he did actually start off jabbing well before reverting to type, he set up some nice right hands over the top but missed with loads as well, Ngabu looked strong but just plodded forward, landed a couple of eye catching shots but never complained enough or tried to change things up, he just accepted the way things were going and he paid the price, wobbled initially with the left hook and caught with a big right hand for the follow up, his legs were all over the place, maybe the ref could've gave a count when he inevitably fell down but no complaints from me, that was dire

Still Okolie keeps defying logic, raw and novice like but Olympian, British, Commonwealth and European champion

[Ricky]

Atrocious stoppage. I actually Ngabu looked more wobbled than he was because he tripped over feet slightly.

I'm big on protecting fighters but ffs you can't stop a fight every time a fighter gets buzzed, i actually think Ngabu would have recovered from that shot and was actively guarding his head when that clown of a ref jumped in.

Okolie was persistent fouling, clinching, pushing, shouldering Ngabu yet the refs eyes were firmly locked on Ngabu the entire fight.

Strange strange performance by the ref, abysmal.

[KiwiRider]

Atrocious stoppage. I actually Ngabu looked more wobbled than he was because he tripped over feet slightly.

I'm big on protecting fighters but ffs you can't stop a fight every time a fighter gets buzzed, i actually think Ngabu would have recovered from that shot and was actively guarding his head when that clown of a ref jumped in.

Okolie was persistent fouling, clinching, pushing, shouldering Ngabu yet the refs eyes were firmly locked on Ngabu the entire fight.

Strange strange performance by the ref, abysmal.

I thought it was a weak stoppage too, then I rewound and saw Ngabu's eyes, they were rolling around his head. It was a merciful stoppage from a boxing fans point of view, I had enough of the fight after 3 rounds. The sky commentary team were rabbiting on about how "awkward" Okolie is
I think they don't know the difference between awkward and unko.

[JxhDel.]

Just give Okolie a title shot already, so it can maybe happen the bust we all want to see...

[smiling assassin]

Just give Okolie a title shot already, so it can maybe happen the bust we all want to see...

I don't want to see it. I don't want to watch him fight ever again