Okolie vs Chamberlain: Lawrence Okolie believes Isaac Chamberlain has a loser mentality

Lawrence Okolie says Isaac Chamberlain's sparring sessions with Oleksandr Usyk have given his rival a "loser" mentality ahead of their grudge fight.

The cruiserweight duo have been sharpening their skills for Saturday's fight at The O2, live on Sky Sports, and Chamberlain flew out to Usyk's training camp to spar with the WBC and WBO champion.

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But Okolie believes Chamberlain will have been weakened mentally after trading punches with the fearsome Ukrainian.

Describing his opponent's camp, Okolie exclusively told Sky Sports: "They have got a sparring partner, losing mentality, but they have also got hunger.

"There is a difference between a losing mentality and being hungry. He can want to win, be like hungry for the win, but you've still got a loser mindset.

I've got a vicious winner's mentality, which is why I'm so confident. Not just in boxing, but in life.

"You want to win, but everything in your make-up is survive, do well, but it all shows.

"I've got a vicious winner's mentality, which is why I'm so confident. Not just in boxing, but in life."

The former Team GB fighter does concede that Chamberlain's defence will have been improved by bruising rounds with Usyk, but remains confident he will emerge victorious.

"It will make it a lot harder to stop him, because he's going to put himself in hard positions," said Okolie. "If you're in there with Usyk and Usyk wants to get to you, you have to learn how to duck and dive and dodge and block.

"He's going to have good survival instincts, but when you want to win - this is the thing people have to realise - you can be a good fighter, survive, dodge punches, make it through rounds, but to win you have to take that extra step and it's a risk."

Watch Lawrence Okolie vs Isaac Chamberlain, from The O2, London, Saturday, February 3, live on Sky Sports Main Event & Action.