WBO world cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie (18-0, 14 KO’s) is aiming to do a demolition job on undefeated title challenger David Light (20-0, 12 KO’s) when the two meet in Manchester on Saturday, March 25th, live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK.
Global streaming service and television network PROBOX TV have secured worldwide television rights for the WBO Cruiserweight World title clash between Lawrence Okolie and David Light.
All PROBOX TV subscribers in; USA, Canada, DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), NORDICS (Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark), France, Holland, Turkey, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Philippines and South Korea can all watch the event as part of their monthly or yearly subscription. The show will start at 15:00 Eastern Standard Time (USA) on Saturday, March 25th.
But he knows there will be hard work involved, as Light brings a deep pedigree to the ring with him. The 31-year-old won a silver medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games and was three times national champion of his native New Zealand before turning pro in 2017 and commencing his 20-fight win streak.
“He’s got good hands, good footwork. He’s able to change up his style – fight on the back foot, fight on the front foot, have a slugfest like he did in his last fight. So I’ll be interested to see what he thinks he’s going to do on the day,” said Okolie.
WHAT TIME IS THE OKOLIE VS. LIGHT FIGHT?
- Date: Saturday, March 25
- Start time: 7 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET
- Sky Sports will broadcast the fight in the UK
- Main event ringwalks (approx): 10 p.m. GMT / 6 p.m. ET
- The fight takes place at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.
- The event is set to get underway at 7 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET with the main event ringwalks scheduled for 10 p.m. GMT / 6 p.m. ET. T
“As soon as I establish myself and I start getting comfortable letting [the big shots] off, we’ll see if that gameplan of his is working or not… We’re going to have a conversation, but not with words. I have to assert myself on him.”
Okolie has prepared for this fight – his third title defence – with noted trainer SugarHill Steward and says the partnership has produced a focused gameplan which will see Light picked apart before being taken out around the middle of the twelve-round fight.
“It’s definitely been a new experience training with a great teacher like SugarHill… it’s very much about positioning, it’s very much the tiniest little things, but it makes a big difference. It gives me a sort of structure. [Instead of] just doing what I want, I find myself paying a lot more attention to detail,” he says.
Visualizing the March 25th fight, Okolie pictures himself setting the pace and tone of the exchanges before dominating and eventually ending the encounter early.
“If I hit anyone clean, it’s the beginning of the end. But I think with him, I do see it being maybe like a mid-rounds stoppage. I have to break him down – he’s a fit guy, he’s experienced, he did ten rounds in his last fight,,” he says.
“I have to literally break him, so I’m going to do that.”
LAWRENCE OKOLIE
“He’s coming to win, [which] sets you up for a lot of openings. But you don’t get to this position by overlooking people, ever.
“It’s a nice safe place to hide behind being the underdog. When I see him I know what he really is. I’m prepared for what he may bring and will do what I need to do.
“I am going to be matching him and overmatching him for pressure and power from round one.
“Saturday’s going to come. One of us is going to win and the other one’s going to become irrelevant. So I’m looking forward to it.”
DAVID LIGHT
“I’m not here on somebody’s else’s terms… I’ve earned the shot. I’m coming to win. I know he’s a proud man and he’s going to defend with everything he’s got.
“I could have taken this fight a few years ago, for the money, but I am not here for the money – I’m here for the title.”
FRAZER CLARKE
“Unfortunately, Rydell Booker had to pull out of the fight. He had a medical problem and best wishes to him, we hope he gets better soon. But we’ve got a new opponent, Bogdan Dinu, he’s a credible opponent, who’s boxed some great names. It’s a good fight for me and I’m looking forward to it.”
“This is heavyweight boxing. It’s dangerous. Especially this guy at short notice. It’s up to me to be professional, which I am, go in there and do my job. I’m looking forward to it.
“It doesn’t matter who’s getting in with me at the weekend. I feel confident, I’m fit and strong. I’m ready to do a job.”
BEN SHALOM, BOXXER PROMOTER + CEO
“This is a serious fight, a proper world-title fight. It’s someone who has earned his position, not someone we have chosen and not necessarily someone we would choose for [Okolie’s] first fight after a year out, with a new trainer on a new platform.
“We know David Light is tough, durable and can punch. We know he’s always fighting on the front foot and he’s going to stick it on Lawrence on Saturday night. There’s a lot of pressure on Lawrence to prove to everyone who he is, why we believe he’s the best cruiserweight in the world.
“He’s got to be able to deal with David Light. I’m very excited for it, I think we’re in for an absolute treat and we’re certainly not overlooking David Light.”
OKOLIE VS. LIGHT CARD
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Today’s weigh-in results in full:
Lawrence Okolie (14st 4lbs) vs. David Light (14st 2lbs 5oz)
WBO World Cruiserweight Title (12×3)
Frazer Clarke (19st 5lbs) vs. Bogdan Dinu (17st 10lbs)
Heavyweight (8×3)
Michael Gomez Jnr (9st 4lbs) vs. Levi Giles (9st 2lbs 5oz)
Vacant English Super-Featherweight Title (10×3)
Karriss Artingstall (9st) vs. Linzi Kuczyński (9st 2lbs)
Featherweight (6×2)
Callum Simpson (11st 4lbs 3oz) vs. Celso Neves (12st 0lbs 5oz)
Super-Middleweight (8×3)
Rhys Edwards (9st 2lbs 5oz) vs. Brian Phillips (9st 3lbs 5oz)
Featherweight (8/6×3)
Shakiel Thompson (11st 12lbs 5oz) vs.Robert Talarek (11st 11lbs)
Middleweight (6×3)
Samiel Antwi (10st 13lbs) vs. Omar Rodriguez (10st 13lbs)
6×3 Welterweight
Frankie Stringer (9st 12lbs) vs. Jacob Laskowski (9st 11lbs)
6×3 Lightweight
Harvey Lambert (10st 13lbs) vs. Casey Brown (11st 5lbs 2oz)
Super-Welterweight (4×3)