Boxing Mar 28, 2026

Lawrence Okolie predicts he will meet Daniel Dubois in a future world heavyweight championship unification

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Lawrence Okolie predicts he will meet Daniel Dubois in a future world heavyweight championship unification

Lawrence Okolie has a three-point plan that would see him fight Daniel Dubois in a heavyweight world title unification.

First, Okolie must beat 2016 Olympic gold medallist Tony Yoka when they box in Paris on April 25.

Victory would leave Okolie as the WBC's No 1-ranked heavyweight contender, behind WBC Interim titlist and Oleksandr Usyk's mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel.

If Usyk doesn't defend the full WBC title against Kabayel, Okolie expects to box the German for that world championship.

Usyk didn't defend his WBO belt against mandatory challenger Fabio Wardley and is now taking on kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in a crossover contest.

"Everyone's going to have to force the issue, Agit's team, my team, we're all going to have to force the position and hope that the WBC does the right thing," Okolie told Your Site.

"Usyk has to fight [Kabayel] and if he doesn't box him in a timely fashion and agree, strip him and then let him box whoever he wants to box at the end of the year and then we'll box in the autumn for the full world title.

"That's why I'm so eager to beat Yoka and beat him well because I know what comes off the back end of it. So I've just got to get it done."

He think Daniel Dubois will beat Fabio Wardley in May to win the WBO title and Okolie envisages boxing Dubois in a heavyweight world championship down the line.

"I sparred him loads, I've been sparring him since the Great Britain days, we've done countless rounds," Okolie said of Dubois. "My aim is to win in France, win in Germany, then win in England and be king of it all.

"I do think it probably will be me and Dan."

He added: "I think that Dubois is going to win because he's got a lot more experience at the level and he's beaten better guys. And I think that, stylistically as well, if they do start trading, unless Fabio's that much quicker than him, Dan definitely punches harder than him. So I think he'll probably hurt him.

"If they catch Dan early, hard then we could see a few repeats of some performances. But I'd be favouring Dan in that fight."

Okolie's Olympic team-mate Joe Joyce lost a controversial decision to Yoka in the super-heavyweight final at Rio 2016. He wants to exact some revenge.

"One hundred per cent," Okolie said. "Joe messaged me, actually, and said beat him up for me - and I will. I watched that fight live and I was so disappointed."

Even though Yoka will have home advantage, Okolie's confidence remains undimmed ahead of their contest.

"I'd like to see how he handles the pressure of the day, the fans cheering, the expectation and whatever else. When you've got all that and you've got someone like myself who you know at any point if I catch you properly is going to hurt you, it'll be interesting to see how that all boils together," Okolie said.

"I feel like in life there's winners and there's losers, and I think I'm more of a winner than he is. And that's why I expect to get this one done."

Watch the Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper bill live on Your Site on Sunday April 5.

Tags:

boxing news

Share this article

Related Posts

Ellie Scotney's extraordinary journey has seen her rise from working in B&Q to the cusp of making British boxing history

Ellie Scotney's extraordinary journey has seen her rise from working in B&Q to the cusp of making British boxing history

Ellie Scotney is on the edge of history. If she wins her next fight she will become Britain’s youngest ever undisputed world champion of the four-belt...

Moses Itauma set to become mandatory challenger for WBO heavyweight title with Daniel Dubois or stablemate Fabio Wardley in sight

Moses Itauma set to become mandatory challenger for WBO heavyweight title with Daniel Dubois or stablemate Fabio Wardley in sight

Moses Itauma is set to become the mandatory challenger for the WBO heavyweight title - potentially putting him on a collision course with stablemate F...

Sebastian Fundora demolishes Keith Thurman in Las Vegas to retain WBC super-welterweight title

Sebastian Fundora demolishes Keith Thurman in Las Vegas to retain WBC super-welterweight title

Sebastian Fundora handed Keith Thurman the first stoppage defeat of his career as he demolished his fellow American inside six rounds to retain the WB...

Anthony Joshua targeting July return but won't fight Tyson Fury next following fatal car crash, says Eddie Hearn

Anthony Joshua targeting July return but won't fight Tyson Fury next following fatal car crash, says Eddie Hearn

Anthony Joshua is targeting a return to the ring in July after surviving a fatal car crash in December but will not yet be fighting Tyson Fury next, a...

Manny Pacquiao announces another return with 10-round exhibition against Ruslan Provodnikov

Manny Pacquiao announces another return with 10-round exhibition against Ruslan Provodnikov

Manny Pacquiao has confirmed he will take on Ruslan Provodnikov in a 10-round welterweight exhibition match on April 18 at Thomas and Mack Center in L...

Moses Itauma would 'love a shot' at Oleksandr Usyk, but why would he want to fight a 21-year-old?

Moses Itauma would 'love a shot' at Oleksandr Usyk, but why would he want to fight a 21-year-old?

Rising heavyweight phenom Moses Itauma would welcome a fight with the best in the division, Oleksandr Usyk.But Itauma, only 21 years old and already t...