Saturday 27 January 2018 07:44, UK
Lawrence Okolie has revealed how a theft on his car failed to take the grin off his face as he is relishing the grudge fight with Isaac Chamberlain.
The Hackney fighter will finally settle his feud with Brixton rival Chamberlain at The O2 on Saturday, February 3, live on Sky Sports, after weeks of heated words between the cruiserweights.
Okolie admits he was still in a jubilant mood following the announcement of the fight and thieves took full of advantage after a lapse of concentration.
"As soon as the fight was made, I was smiling for days," Okolie exclusively told Sky Sports. "My car got broken into, I was still smiling.
"It was parked outside. Well, actually broken into was a bit extreme. I made the mistake of leaving it unlocked and it got ran through.
"They took everything. They did a thorough job, to the tissues inside, gone. Everything was gone, but I still was happy, because I was like yesterday the fight got made."
Chamberlain mocked Okolie by putting out an advert in a local paper, requesting alternative employment for his rival after their bout.
But the former Team GB fighter insists he is mentally stronger than Chamberlain and will not be distracted by such antics.
"It's going to depend how I feel, because how I feel determines how the fight is going to go," said Okolie.
I hold every single card there is - physically, emotionally, mentally.
"If I feel aggressive, then it turns into a slugfest. If I feel, you know what, let's have a boxing match, it turns into a boxing match which I think I win, hands down. It really depends on how I'm feeling.
"I hold every single card there is - physically, emotionally, mentally. But it's about not letting silly games get into my head, or letting him get to my head."
Watch Lawrence Okolie vs Isaac Chamberlain, from The O2, London, Saturday, February 3, live on Sky Sports Main Event & Action.
