Okolie Talks Tough Ahead WBO Cruiserweight Title Defence

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.

“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.”