Lawrence Okolie has signed a promotional deal with Frank Warren’s Queensberry.
The ex-world champion began his career with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom and more recently left for Ben Shalom’s BOXXER, but will now complete the set of major UK promoters by working with Warren moving forwards.
Okolie is 20-1 with his only defeat coming to Chris Billam-SmithRex
“There is only one place. If you are a heavyweight in Britain or the world, it is the Warrens,” Okolie said.
“They’ve got the best up and coming heavyweights, the best current heavyweights and the best who are on their way out. So it is the place to be, for me.
“It has gone through different phases in my career and I needed to find a home that would cater for this next period, right to the end of my career, which is the heavyweight dream of being a three-weight world champion.
“I am a natural for the weight, right from being on the GB team. I have been struggling with making weight but, when you have success, you keep on pushing it. I even had to come down to make bridgerweight, so I knew it was time to go up.”
Warren added: “I am thrilled to add Lawrence to our burgeoning heavyweight ranks here at Queensberry and I fully expect him to increase our successes in the marquee division.
“Lawrence possesses all the attributes to make a big impact at heavyweight and he will relish being released of the burden of cutting weight, allowing his natural talent and power to shine through.
“There are so many exciting fights and options out there for Lawrence and I am so looking forward to getting him started again.”
Two weeks ago, Okolie vacated his WBC bridgerweight belt to move up to heavyweight.
The former WBO cruiserweight world champion won the bridgerweight crown earlier this year.
While not everybody recognises this relatively new 224lbs division between cruiserweight and heavyweight as a true world title, others viewed Okolie as a ‘two-weight world champion’ once he stopped Lukasz Rozanski to win it.
AJ and Okolie both fought for Team GB at the Olympics and sparred together many timesLawrence Okolie – Instagram
Regardless, he was been ordered to defend against ‘interim’ bridgerweight belt holder Kevin Lerena.
But now, Okolie has vacated and decided to move up to heavyweight instead.
This means Lerena has become the full WBC bridgerweight world champion.
Okolie’s heavyweight debut is yet to be confirmed.
However, he does have plenty of experience mixing it with boxing’s big boys.
While training to win the cruiserweight crown, Okolie spent years sparring with heavyweights.
Okolie once joined Fury in camp
This includes some of the division’s top dogs.
For years in the Team GB set-up when they were both amateurs and young pros, Okolie sparred Anthony Joshua.
In 2018, he also travelled to America and sparred Tyson Fury before his first clash with Deontay Wilder.
More recently, when they were both trained by Shane McGuigan, Okolie sparred with Daniel Dubois.
Dubois is now the IBF heavyweight world champion having cemented his status by KOing Anthony Joshua last month, and so will be one of two champions Okolie will be targeting at heavyweight.
The other will of course by the true king of the division, Oleksandr Usyk.
Okolie previously told iFL TV of Usyk: “I fancy that, I feel like everyone else has had their shot [at Usyk] and I want to go and test it.
“It might sound crazy to other people and I look at him and he is sensational and very talented, but I have attributes that he hasn’t had to box against for a long time including speed and stuff like that.”
