Lawrence Okolie returns to the ring for the first time since his defeat to Chris Billam-Smith as he moves up from cruiserweight to fight Lukasz Rozanski for the WBC World Bridgerweight world title in the champion's native Poland - watch live on Sky Sports on Friday May 24.
Friday 22 March 2024 09:22, UK
Lawrence Okolie says he is more motivated than ever as he looks to respond to his first career defeat to Chris Billam-Smith by beating Lukasz Rozanski and becoming a two-weight world champion.
Okolie was knocked down three times as he surrendered his WBO cruiserweight world title to Billam-Smith in a majority decision defeat in Bournemouth last May.
He returns to action in May when he challenges Rozanski for the WBC Bridgerweight championship that the Pole clinched thanks to a first-round knockout win over Alen Babic.
"At this point it would mean everything," Okolie told Sky Sports. "Winning and losing a world title, I can see the difference so I want it and I want it bad.
"I would say (he's more motivated than ever). If I'm going to be brutally honest then definitely.
"I've got to prove a lot of people wrong, not that it's my main motivation but it does give you a chip on your shoulder."
Defeat to Billam-Smith saw Okolie drop to 19-1 and bring up the first blemish of the Olympian's professional career, which saw him become world champion with a sixth-round stoppage win over Krzysztof Głowacki in 2021.
"Even the other team, for them to make this fight and they're probably feeling really confident, I have to show them too," he added.
"I've got to remind a lot of people what I've done and what I'm capable of and what I've got left in the tank."
The 31-year-old will fight out of the UK for the first time in his professional career as he heads to Poland, where a raucous atmosphere awaits in support of Rozansk.
It marks the second time Okolie will have ventured into enemy territory having fought Billam-Smith in his home town of Bournemouth last year.
"It's one of the main reasons I wanted it," said Okolie. "I've got the experience that didn't go how I wanted it to in Bournemouth, but valuable experience.
"It will be a sell-out at this place.
"It's given me that extra 'I'm going to smash him in front of his own fans' so we're nine short weeks away and then I'll get it done."
Besides fighting outside of the UK Okolie will notably be making the step up to bridgerweight, which is deemed a more comfortable weight at this stage in his career. If all goes to plan, he won't be stopping there for long.
"I think making that cruiserweight limit was getting harder and harder as I got older," he explained. "I've been making it since I was 18 so for me it's a journey on the way to heavyweight.
"I always go for the hardest fights and go for world titles so this was the opportunity for another world title and to become a two-weight world champion, so who am I to say no?"
As for a rematch against Billam-Smith, that could still yet happen. For now, the champion is seemingly on course to face British cruiserweight rival Richard Riakporhe, with Okolie eyeing a potential opportunity for revenge further down the line.
"I think Chris is also another quite big cruiserweight so there's probably an opportunity for us to box at bridgerweight after I've won this belt," said Okolie.
"It's not something I'm desperately chasing, we all know I activated the rematch clause and for one reason or another it never happened.
"My career doesn't hang on a rematch, but it would be nice to avenge my only loss."
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