Lawrence Okolie: WBO cruiserweight champion to 'showcase a new clinical style' in title defence

Lawrence Okolie has won all 18 fights, with 14 stoppages, since turning professional in 2017

WBO cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie says he will "showcase a new clinical style" against David Light in Manchester on Saturday with new trainer SugarHill Steward in his corner.

Okolie, 30, makes a third world title defence against New Zealander Light.

The Briton appointed Steward in February, having left Shane McGuigan.

"Sugar keeps saying he loves knockouts," Okolie said. "If I hit him clean, I'll knock him out, but I don't bank on it."

Speaking at Thursday's news conference at Love Factory in Manchester, Okolie added: "I'm not delusional. This is a grown man in front of me who has been training hard. It's not going to be necessarily early or round one."

Light, 31, has won all 20 bouts and is Okolie's mandatory challenger, but two of those bouts have taken place in America and the others all in New Zealand.

His trainer, Isaac Peach, believed Okolie was underestimating his fighter.

But the Londoner calmly replied: "You don't get to this position overlooking people ever.

"The way he presents himself, with his personality and how he looks, you could almost overlook him but I'm someone, when I see him, I know what he brings."

'I don't like listening to judges' scorecards' - Steward

As he took to his seat, with Steward and new promoter Ben Shalom beside him, a focused Okolie refused to be drawn into predictions, controversy or mind games.

"We've prepared extremely well, brought in the best sparring I could," he said.

Shalom added: "This is a serious fight. A proper world title fight. We know David Light is tough, durable and can punch."

Despite his 18-fight unbeaten record and title credentials, Okolie has faced criticism in the past for being involved in scrappy fights and an awkward style which may not always lend itself to an entertaining contest.

That could soon change, however, with the addition of Steward, who is the nephew of legendary trainer Emanuel Steward and currently trains WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

The American has been credited for instilling the infamous 'Kronk gym' style of boxing into Fury, transforming the Briton into an aggressive, hard-hitting puncher.

"I'm looking for a new clinical style which ends in a KO," Okolie said. "But the way that we're training is not like barbarians, it's very calculated, so I need to execute some of the stuff."

Steward added: "Lawrence has been improving from week to week. The camp was a lot longer than expected, it gave us more time to work on things and become fluent."

Asked if he wants Okolie to go for for a 15th stoppage win, he said: "I definitely do. That's part of the gameplan in every fighter I have trained.

"I don't like leaving it to the judges. I don't like listening to the judges' scorecards...period. I hate it."

War of words with Hearn

Okolie (right) has been out of the ring since beating Poland's Michal Cieslak in February 2022

Okolie will also be competing on a Boxxer show for the first time, having left Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing in an acrimonious split that centred on a contract row.

Matchroom have promoted all of Okolie's fights since he turned professional in 2017, including his title bout against Poland's Michal Cieslak in February 2022.

Following that win, Okolie believed his contract had ended and wanted to link up with Shalom, but Matchroom insisted he had one fight left.

The dispute was finally settled, but the war of words continued this week as Okolie - out of the ring for more than a year - angrily described his former promoter Hearn as "malicious, jealous, bitter and vindictive".

In response, Hearn said he did a good job with Okolie, leading him to a world title and providing him with fights on the biggest stage.

But the fighter won't be distracted by the conflict with Hearn as he added: "I can separate one thing for another. If my girlfriend speaks to me, I'm not going to go to my mum and scream at her."