Lawrence Okolie Moving To Heavyweight in 2021
Posted: 21 Jan 2020, 09:16
EBU cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie could see himself moving up to the heavyweight division in 2021.
Okolie has often sparred with heavyweight and says he "never feels out his depth" when trading punches with the most dangerous men in the division.
There are ongoing negotiations for Okolie to face dangerous Krzysztof Glowacki for the vacant WBO cruiserweight belt.
Okolie would like to capture a world title in 2020, and then secure a unification fight with one of the other champions.
If those things happen, then he could see a move to heavyweight taking place at some point in 2021.
"Definitely. If I'm able to accomplish what I want to accomplish this year, then maybe early next year I will move up," Okolie told Sky Sports.
"I'd look to potentially unify [the cruiserweight division] in the fight after, and solidify myself as a world champion this year."
Okolie has sparred often with IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO world champion Anthony Joshua, and he's also been used as a sparring partner by Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte.
Fury used Okolie as a sparring partner for the first bout with WBC champion Deontay Wilder. He would like to use him again for the rematch, but Okolie's schedule may rule him out from that opportunity.
"I feel comfortable," Okolie said. "We'd have to see in an actual fight scenario but in sparring, with bigger headguards and bigger gloves, then athleticism is a bigger factor because you have to move in and out. One big shot isn't as big of a factor.
"Obviously I punch reasonably hard and I'm strong so I never feel out of my depth with heavyweights. I've sparred top quality heavyweights and medium heavyweights. I feel comfortable. A lot of cruiserweights don't want to spar me because either we're going to fight or physically it is too imposing. The heavyweights are big, are able to soak up more damage and have pride when sparring me because [I'm in the division below]."
Okolie has often sparred with heavyweight and says he "never feels out his depth" when trading punches with the most dangerous men in the division.
There are ongoing negotiations for Okolie to face dangerous Krzysztof Glowacki for the vacant WBO cruiserweight belt.
Okolie would like to capture a world title in 2020, and then secure a unification fight with one of the other champions.
If those things happen, then he could see a move to heavyweight taking place at some point in 2021.
"Definitely. If I'm able to accomplish what I want to accomplish this year, then maybe early next year I will move up," Okolie told Sky Sports.
"I'd look to potentially unify [the cruiserweight division] in the fight after, and solidify myself as a world champion this year."
Okolie has sparred often with IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO world champion Anthony Joshua, and he's also been used as a sparring partner by Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte.
Fury used Okolie as a sparring partner for the first bout with WBC champion Deontay Wilder. He would like to use him again for the rematch, but Okolie's schedule may rule him out from that opportunity.
"I feel comfortable," Okolie said. "We'd have to see in an actual fight scenario but in sparring, with bigger headguards and bigger gloves, then athleticism is a bigger factor because you have to move in and out. One big shot isn't as big of a factor.
"Obviously I punch reasonably hard and I'm strong so I never feel out of my depth with heavyweights. I've sparred top quality heavyweights and medium heavyweights. I feel comfortable. A lot of cruiserweights don't want to spar me because either we're going to fight or physically it is too imposing. The heavyweights are big, are able to soak up more damage and have pride when sparring me because [I'm in the division below]."
