Lawrence Okolie: Britain's cruiserweight world champion plots move to heavyweight later in career
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Lawrence Okolie has won all 16 of his professional fights, including 13 inside the distance, and became WBO cruiserweight world champion in March
Cruiserweight world champion Lawrence Okolie aims to emulate David Haye, Oleksandr Usyk and Evander Holyfield by having future success as a heavyweight.
The Briton makes the first defence of his WBO belt on the undercard of Anthony Joshua's world heavyweight title bout against Usyk on Saturday.
But 28-year-old Londoner Okolie, who is 6ft 5in, expects to move up in weight categories later in his career.
"I think it is destined, almost," Okolie told 5 Live's Boxing Podcast.
Okolie won his cruiserweight world title in March with a sixth-round knockout win over Poland's Krzysztof Glowacki at Wembley Arena and now fights unbeaten Montenegro fighter Dilan Prasovic, 26, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
"Obviously I have to win on Saturday, but I've got people like Haye, Usyk and Holyfield in mind when I'm training," said Okolie.
"Size-wise, I'm taller than Usyk, and I don't enjoy the dieting but I have to do that to make the [cruiserweight] weight. But I look forward to putting on more size and strength.
"I believe I'm under-rated in terms of boxing IQ and it will be interesting to pit myself against the bigger, stronger guys and see how it goes. It will be interesting, but I'm looking forward to it."
Briton Haye and American Holyfield won world titles at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, while Ukrainian Usyk is fighting Joshua with the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts on the line in only his third fight at heavyweight after becoming an undisputed champion at the lower weight.
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- Published29 November 2021
