Lawrence Okolie vs. Ebenezer Tetteh | DAZN - 21 December 2025

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Lawrence Okolie to headline boxing card in Nigeria on December 19

Heavyweight Lawrence Okolie will headline a boxing card in Lagos, Nigeria on December 19.

The card will also feature British heavyweight contender David Adeleye, who has Nigerian heritage.

Okolie, a former cruiserweight champion, was born in Nigeria and will return for his first professional fight in Africa, which is an emerging market for boxing.

Promoter Eddie Hearn told ESPN Anthony Joshua could fight on the continent, with offers to stage an AJ fight tabled by Ghana and Nigeria.

Okolie and Adeleye as well as Emanuel Odiase, Taiwo Agbaje and Shiloh Thomas will feature on December's card.

"Big time boxing comes to Lagos!" Okolie said.

"This will be a historic moment for Africa, my family and my career.

"There's been a lot of talk, but let's see who really wants to dance. Detty December just got Saucy.

"Thanks to Frank [Warren] George [Warren] and Queensberry for making this happen for me."

Frank [Warren] added: "Nigeria has a proud boxing history, and we're extremely pleased to bring this opportunity for two of our leading fighters.

"Queensberry is the Home of the Heavyweights and we look forward to our guys doing the business in Lagos in December."

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Briton Okolie to headline 'historic' card in Nigeria

British heavyweight Lawrence Okolie is set to headline a card in Nigeria on 19 December.

The former cruiserweight and bridgerweight world champion's opponent in Lagos - on a card promoted by Queensberry's Frank WaREN and Amir Khan - is yet to be announced.

Okolie's parents were born in Nigeria and the 32-year-old is set for his first professional bout in Africa, which is one of boxing's emerging markets.

It comes as Eddie Hearn's Matchroom hold a show in Ghana on 20 December, with reports of Anthony Joshua potentially fighting in either Ghana or Nigeria at the start of next year.

"Big time boxing comes to Lagos!" said Okolie, who has a record of 22 wins, 16 stoppages and one loss.

"This will be a historic moment for Africa, my family and my career.

"There's been a lot of talk, but let's see who really wants to dance...

"Thanks to Frank [Warren], George [Warren] and Queensberry for making this happen for me."

Former light-welterweight world champion Khan, the head of AK Promotions, said: "Lagos is about to witness something special.

"This event brings together explosive heavyweights and Nigeria's rising stars...

"I'm proud to be part of a night that will inspire the next generation of African fighters."

British heavyweight contender David Adeleye, whose parents are Nigerian, will also feature on the card.

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Lawrence Okolie headlines an event in Nigeria on December 19

Former WBO cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie will headline an event in Lagos, Nigeria on December 19, it was announced today.

Now fighting at heavyweight, Okolie, 22-1 (16 KOs), was born in London to Nigerian parents and captured the WBO cruiserweight title in 2021. He has since won two fights – both by stoppage – at his new weight and will hope to extend that run to three at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena just before Christmas.

Also set to appear on the card, in a separate bout, is fellow UK heavyweight David Adeleye, 14-2 (13 KOs), who could end up crossing paths with Okolie should they both come through their upcoming bouts unscathed. Adeleye, of course, was last seen losing a decision against Filip Hrgovic in a fight that still managed to enhance his reputation. He, like Okolie, has Nigerian heritage.

Finally, in an all-Nigerian clash, local hero Taiwo Agbaje, 18-0 (13 KOs) will battle Musa Tope Tajudeen, 19-1 (17 KOs), and Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight protégé, Emanuel Odiase, 9-0 (8 KOs), looks to make it 10 wins in a row.

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Lawrence Okolie, David Adeleye To Feature On Dec. 19 Show In Nigeria

Lawrence Okolie and David Adeleye will both feature on the next Amir Khan-promoted show in Lagos, Nigeria on December 19 - live on DAZN.

Both British heavyweights were ringside earlier this month when AK Promotions and Balmoral Promotions staged an event at Mobolaji Johnson Arena in the Nigerian capital, where Brandon Glanton beat Marcus Browne in the main event.

And now Okolie and Adeleye, who are both promoted by Frank ^Warren and Queensberry, have been confirmed for the next show at the same venue six days before Christmas.

There are no opponents confirmed yet but they will head up the card alongside fellow heavyweight Emanuel Odiase, who illuminated the last event with a first round knockout against Idris Afinni.

Former cruiserweight world champion Okolie said: “Big time boxing comes to Lagos! This will be a historic moment for Africa, my family and my career. There’s been a lot of talk but let’s see who really wants to dance.”

Okolie (22-1, 16 KOs), who is of Nigerian descent, is ranked at No. 1 with the WBC and No. 4 with the WBO and secured his most significant win at heavyweight so far on July 19 when he widely outpointed Kevin Lerena at Wembley Stadium.

Meanwhile, Adeleye (14-2, 13 KOs) will feature in a separate fight as he attempts to bounce back from his lopsided points defeat to Filip Hrgovic at ANB Arena, Riyadh on August 16.

The 28-year-old 'Big D', whose parents are Nigerian, had been linked with a December 13 clash with Moses Itauma in Manchester but he will instead fight in Africa for the first time.

He said: “Nigeria - Motide, mo wa nile [hello I’m home] - I’m coming home. What an honour and a pleasure it will be to fight back home in my parent’s land. A country that has birthed many greats, and I’m adding to that list. It’s a dream come true. The first fight there was spectacular. This time we’re doubling up and we’re bringing even more fire. I can’t wait for you guys to see me live in action.”

After agreeing to his first involvement in a Nigerian event, promoter Warren added: “Nigeria has a proud boxing history, and we’re extremely pleased to bring this opportunity for two of our leading fighters.

“Queensberry is the Home of the Heavyweights and we look forward to our guys doing the business in Lagos in December.”

[londonwar]

adeleye certainly brings some excitement

but if okolie gets a big lump it will just be another yawnfest

[joshj909]

Weird that Joshua is being linked to a card in Ghana and not this one in Nigeria.

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DILLIAN WHYTE OFFERED LAWRENCE OKOLIE FIGHT DEC. 19 IN NIGERIA

Dillian Whyte has been offered the opportunity to reignite his career and settle his long running grudge with Lawrence Okolie.

Okolie will headline a December 19 card in Lagos, Nigeria. The show is a joint promotion between his promoters, Queensberry, Amir Khan’s AK Promotions and Balmoral Group Promotions.

CEO of AK Promotions, Khan, told The Ring that he has offered Whyte the opportunity to face his bitter rival in an all-British heavyweight clash.

“We’ve offered Dillian Whyte the fight with Lawrence Okolie,” Khan said.

"There’s bad blood between the pair of them and it is a fight fans around the world have been calling for for a very long time. Lawrence is ranked No. 1 with the WBC. Dillian was chasing that belt down for years. We’re offering him a lifeline, a last shot to become world champion. We’ve made a very strong offer for him to fight Okolie and we hope he’ll accept the challenge.”

Two weight world champion, Okolie (22-1, 16 KOs), and Whyte (31-4, 21 KOs) have been embroiled in nasty feud since Okolie’s days as a cruiserweight prospect.

The two have shared sparring videos and traded insults but have always competed in different weight divisions.

The fight became a serious proposition last December when Okolie got his heavyweight campaign off to an electrifying start with a first round stoppage of Germany's Hussein Muhamed.

In July he comfortably outpointed Kevin Lerena over 10 rounds despite suffering an early torn bicep and sits at No.1 in the WBC rankings, just behind interim champion, Agit Kabayel.

With The Ring’s No. 3-ranked heavyweight, Kabayel, set to fight Poland’s Damian Kynba in Oberhausen, Germany on January 10, Okolie clearly sees this as the ideal time for he and Whyte to finally settle their differences.

“Dillian Whyte needs to accept that he’s a journeyman/gatekeeper now,” Okolie said. “That’s his role. He needs to play it or retire.”

Whyte has boxed just four times since being stopped in the sixth round of a challenge for Tyson Fury’s WBC heavyweight title in April 2022. In his only appearance of 2025, he was taken out inside a round by Moses Itauma in August.

Whyte had been heavily linked to a December 13 trilogy fight with Derek Chisora but with that card now cancelled, the 37-year-old may find the chance to take Okolie’s ranking with the WBC as too tempting to turn down.

“We’ve made an offer for Dillian Whyte to fight Okolie as we continue our momentum of bringing the best of the best to Africa as we continue our drive to build the next generation of superstars here,” CEO of Balmoral Group Promotions, Dr Ezekiel Adamu, said.

“We are waiting to hear back from his team as to whether he will accept the challenge.”

[CaptainSpacerod]

“It is a fight fans around the world have been calling for for a very long time”

[Frostieballs]

“It is a fight fans around the world have been calling for for a very long time”

Yes. I lie awake at night praying this will happen.

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[jameswilson]

They have done Harley Benn dirty with that picture.

[joshj909]

Who is Okolie getting if he's not getting Adeleye? I can only imagine it's a worse opponent rather than a better one. Embarrassing stuff if he's targeting the corpse of Whyte. If he wants to go the WBC route then any WBC ranked opponent would be good for him

[JamesPhilips]

They have done Harley Benn dirty with that picture.

In what way? He doesn’t look that bad….at least he’s not taking a hard difficult dump like boxers in most posters

[Flump]

They have done Harley Benn dirty with that picture.

In what way? He doesn’t look that bad….at least he’s not taking a hard difficult dump like boxers in most posters

True, but he does have the look of someone who took a chance on a fart and it's come up wet.

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Whyte has rejected the offer

In other heavyweight news, it seems the fight with bitter bad blood rival Lawrence Okolie is not one Dillian Whyte will take, at least not next. Not unless he and his team receive another offer – one that is not “embarrassing.” Speaking with Talk Sport, Whyte’s manager Michael Ofo said the offer he received from Amir Khan, who is now a promoter and wanted to see Whyte fight Okolie on his big Nigerian card set for December 19, was terrible.

The fight would have seen Whyte and Okolie settle their differences, but Ofo says he didn’t even inform Whyte about the offer as it was so poor.

“They sent an offer to me via e-mail,” Ofo said. “To be honest, I thought it was a joke or some sort of typo because the offer was so embarrassing. I didn’t even tell Dillian because it just made no sense. You want to have a fight with three weeks’ notice, with money so low that Dillian hasn’t made it in the past ten years or so?”

Ofo said Khan’s offer ranks as a “sub-level IQ” move, and that Okolie only mentions Whyte’s name in an effort at drumming up publicity. Okay, the offer Ofo received on behalf of his fighter may have been a low-ball one, but in all honesty, has Whyte got any other big-fight options at this stage of his career? Whyte was last seen being blasted out by Moses Itauma.

[lefthook82]

Whyte has rejected the offer

In other heavyweight news, it seems the fight with bitter bad blood rival Lawrence Okolie is not one Dillian Whyte will take, at least not next. Not unless he and his team receive another offer – one that is not “embarrassing.” Speaking with Talk Sport, Whyte’s manager Michael Ofo said the offer he received from Amir Khan, who is now a promoter and wanted to see Whyte fight Okolie on his big Nigerian card set for December 19, was terrible.

The fight would have seen Whyte and Okolie settle their differences, but Ofo says he didn’t even inform Whyte about the offer as it was so poor.

“They sent an offer to me via e-mail,” Ofo said. “To be honest, I thought it was a joke or some sort of typo because the offer was so embarrassing. I didn’t even tell Dillian because it just made no sense. You want to have a fight with three weeks’ notice, with money so low that Dillian hasn’t made it in the past ten years or so?”

Ofo said Khan’s offer ranks as a “sub-level IQ” move, and that Okolie only mentions Whyte’s name in an effort at drumming up publicity. Okay, the offer Ofo received on behalf of his fighter may have been a low-ball one, but in all honesty, has Whyte got any other big-fight options at this stage of his career? Whyte was last seen being blasted out by Moses Itauma.

This is exactly what i wrote on Facebook. No way they could afford him

[JamesPhilips]

They have done Harley Benn dirty with that picture.

In what way? He doesn’t look that bad….at least he’s not taking a hard difficult dump like boxers in most posters

True, but he does have the look of someone who took a chance on a fart and it's come up wet.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Apparently Tony Yoka is on this card..

With it being a warm up to a bigger fight in Feb or March 2026..

[KiwiRider]

They have done Harley Benn dirty with that picture.

It looks like he has been caught knocking one out!

[gregregegg]

this feels like a disaster.

Korte wont last a round with adeley.

Hard to imagine a 25 seconds notice opponent will last a round with okolie...

This is just yuk.

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Tony Yoka expects to fight underneath Lawrence Okolie on December 19

French heavyweight Tony Yoka, 14-3 (11 KOs), tells L´Equipe that he will fight December 19 against an opponent to be announced. The bout will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, on the big show headlined by Lawrence Okolie and promoted by Queensberry Promotions and Amir Khan.

If all goes well, Yoka will then feature in a major fight in February or March of 2026.

Yoka scored a good win May 17 in Paris when he beat 16-0 Russian Arslan Yallyev. He is 3-0 in his last three fights but went 0-3 before that, losing decisions to Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam and Ryad Merhy in disappointing performances.

Yoka, now 33 years old, won Olympic gold in the Rio de Janeiro games in 2016 by beating the likes of Filip Hrgovic and Joe Joyce along the way, but he hasn't lived up to expectations as a pro.

[KiwiRider]

this feels like a disaster.

Korte wont last a round with adeley.

Hard to imagine a 25 seconds notice opponent will last a round with okolie...

This is just yuk.

Dodgy alright.
Maybe there is a good fight somewhere on the card, but I'm not confident, and it doesn't involve Adeley or Okolie.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Still no opponent for Okolie?

[joshj909]

Tony Yoka expects to fight underneath Lawrence Okolie on December 19

French heavyweight Tony Yoka, 14-3 (11 KOs), tells L´Equipe that he will fight December 19 against an opponent to be announced. The bout will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, on the big show headlined by Lawrence Okolie and promoted by Queensberry Promotions and Amir Khan.

If all goes well, Yoka will then feature in a major fight in February or March of 2026.

Yoka scored a good win May 17 in Paris when he beat 16-0 Russian Arslan Yallyev. He is 3-0 in his last three fights but went 0-3 before that, losing decisions to Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam and Ryad Merhy in disappointing performances.

Yoka, now 33 years old, won Olympic gold in the Rio de Janeiro games in 2016 by beating the likes of Filip Hrgovic and Joe Joyce along the way, but he hasn't lived up to expectations as a pro.

Yoka Vs Adeleye or Okolie is a reasonably good fight. No need for them all to be fighting separately

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Announced: Lawrence Okolie will take on Ebenezer Tetteh in a heavyweight clash on December 21st in Lagos, Nigeria.