Eddie Hearn: "Okolie wants the Euro next, champion Yves Ngabu is a real test, a tough, tough fight.
Sunday 21 July 2019 00:07, UK
Lawrence Okolie stayed on track for a European cruiserweight title shot with Yves Ngabu by defeating Mariano Gudino at The O2 on Saturday night.
Okolie dropped Gudino four times before the referee waved off the fight in the seventh round to successful defend his WBA Continental cruiserweight for a third time with his 13th straight win.
"It's good to get seven rounds in, I tried to work the jab and slow him down. I've seen a lot of Ngabu, we'll have some fun," said Okolie on Sky Sports afterwards.
The British and Commonwealth champion dictated the pace from the opening bell behind his long jab, while Gudino was content to keep circling in a bid to stay out of danger.
However, Okolie caught up with the Argentine in the third round and landed a short right to the side of the head to send him to the canvas for the first time.
Gudino, who was a late stand-in and fighting outside of his homeland for only the second time in his career, began to tire by the fifth round and twice touched the canvas without being hit.
Okolie targeted the head in the sixth and dropped his man three times in the seventh with right hands before referee Robert Williams had seen enough and waved off the fight with one second remaining of the round.
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