Lawrence Okolie reveals his three-fight plan ending with a move to heavyweight

Lawrence Okolie shares his plan to move up to heavyweight next year

Former WBO world cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie spoke to Betway ahead of his return at bridgerweight against WBC champ Lukasz Rozanski on May 24 in Poland .

Okolie , 31 from London, revealed why he wants to fight Dillian Whyte at heavyweight and discussed life with his new trainer, Joe Gallagher, in Manchester, and his next fight overseas in Poland in his bid to become a two-weight titlist.

What’s your plans for the rest of 2024?

"God willing I win this fight, there will be a defence of the belt and in 2025, I think it will be time to move up to heavyweight. I want some more weight, build up some more muscle and get in there with the bigger guys.

"I would want to fight Dillian Whyte at heavyweight. Other than that, it’s a case of wherever the chips lay. Obviously from when I was a Commonwealth champion, we had a little run in at that time and when I said I wanted the fight and believed I would beat him, it was brushed under the table as if ‘this guy is a Commonwealth cruiserweight’. But I have managed to become a world champion and am about to become a two-weight world champion so if I am able to do that then why not.

"From what I remember at the time, he had a much bigger reach and a bigger name but he kept using it to spout negativity towards me at the time so I said something and it escalated from there. If the opportunity came, that’s the fight I would grab with both hands because I think it would be a good fight for both of us to have a punch up. I think Dillian gets hurt often late on in fights so I think a KO is what I would be aiming for.

"He is a fringe world level guy and has been at the world level status but if I am going to go in at heavyweight and compete for a world title, I have to be able to beat someone like Dillian and it would be a great fight.

"He’s been a dog, been in big fights, and hasn’t been afraid to fight anyone so I think he has had a good career for where he came from. He wasn’t able to win a world title, but he attempted that against Tyson Fury and lost to world champions and they’re the only people he has lost to. He’s only lost to the top-tier heavyweights but what is he like now at this age? It’s hard to say, I don’t know."

What’s it been like working with Joe Gallagher in Manchester and why did you pick him as your trainer?

"It is a bit of a culture shock. I always train hard but it’s different with this one, especially when I had one year without having a fight so it’s like hitting the ground running. There’s definitely benefits of it but it’s hard (moving to Manchester).

"There were a couple of reasons (I chose Joe Gallagher as trainer). The first reason is that we trained together when I sparred Joseph Parker before his fight with Deontay Wilder. I liked how he was in the corner, the sort of stuff we worked on and after the spar I thought he gets my style so let’s work with that. When I realised I was boxing in Poland against a Polish world champion with such a high knockout ratio, I wanted a coach who is going to be ready to be in the trenches with me. Somebody who wants to win like I do and that’s where it has all come together."

What’s the difference between Joe Gallagher and Shane McGuigan as a trainer?

"I think they are both good. Shane McGuigan was more of a coach for pads, and you get better on the pads with Shane, but they are both good tacticians so it’s hard to say. Joe is more about work whether it’s punch bags, pads and other little tools in the gym that I hate so they’re both good and it’s hard to compare."

How are feeling ahead of fighting at Bridgerweight?

"It’s good. I’m still there having to make weight again, but I don’t think I could physically make cruiserweight again so it’s good to have extra pounds to eat and put the work in for training and focus on boxing as opposed to constantly making weight. I do need to switch on for these last few weeks though because it’s close, so I need to watch what I’m eating but it’s nowhere near as bad as when I was at cruiserweight though for 9 or 10 weeks of having to be on it and making the weight. I don’t need to do that now.

"I feel good sparring wise but for what this fight is going to be, I am going to be ready for. I feel that it’s going to be a war and as much as I say I want to box and do this, that, and the other, I am realising that sometimes it doesn’t work like that, and you have to be ready to put your foot on the gas and earn the right to box. I think stylistically with this fight I have to establish myself and at some point in the fight, it has to be a knockout. Lukasz Rozanski has to start really fast and all of his fights have been over within four rounds so he needs to go for it in the first four to six rounds to really try and impose himself in the fight early because if he doesn’t then I have done 12 rounds several times and have got late knockouts in me and am conditioned for 12 rounds so he will get unstuck in the later rounds."