In our exclusive interview, Lawrence Okolie discusses his upcoming fight against Richard Riakporhe and his plans to win a heavyweight title this year.
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The two-division world champion also previewed both Dillian Whyte’s upcoming fight against Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois’ fight against Joseph Parker, and gave his thoughts on whether Tyson Fury will make a comeback after confirming his retirement from boxing.
How excited are you to be returning against an old foe in Richard Riakporhe?
It’s fantastic and is a great opportunity to squash a beef. Outside of that, it is great for me because it gets me back to boxing in England, keeping my activity going and setting up for a massive year. It’s a big fight, a good opponent, and lets me go out there and do my thing.
He’s a dangerous guy and will be quick as a cruiserweight coming up (to heavyweight) so it’s perfect in a sense of high pressure and high stakes. It’s good to keep that energy, especially with the type of fights I want to have straight after. He’s obviously visualised a fight against me for years and I have given him some thought as well so that’s the best thing about it. It’s knowing a boxer is training to beat you in particular with a gameplan but once I get the win it’s another one towards the heavyweight belt.
Plans to challenge for the heavyweight title this year?
It depends on Oleksandr Usyk. If he is hanging about this year, then probably not because he’ll be involved in huge fights and unification matches so I don’t think I’ll be mandatory in time. But if Usyk relinquishes the WBC title, God willing I beat Richard Riakporhe and maybe one more then it will probably be me as the WBC Silver champion against the winner of Agit Kabayel and Zhilei Zhang for the full world title or mandatory position, so it depends on me putting on big performances.
Do you still want the Dillian Whyte fight, and what was it like being at the same press conference as him?
I saw him in the hotel the day before and there was nothing to it. When you don’t like somebody and they don’t like you, it doesn’t mean you have to fight on the street. It was just cold energy which is how I like it. On the day on the podium, win, lose, or draw, I still want to get it on with him because it would be a disservice to me and him to not fight somebody you don’t like in boxing. I don’t want to be a 50-year-old man saying f*** Dillian Whyte, I want to get it on now. I want Richard, Dillian, and then whoever else is in my way.
How do you see Whyte v Joyce going?
I think Joe Joyce will win. Watching Derek Chisora and Otto Wallin re-sparked my belief in Joe Joyce. He’s a big guy, bigger than Dillian, works really hard, and is a good puncher. Joe Joyce does get hit often but it depends on how much better Dillian is than what we saw from his last fight. Ebenezer Tetteh was really getting to him but outlasted him by being fresher, but Joyce has the type of style that can beat someone down if they are not quick enough or clinical with their shots, so it really is 50/50. I can see Joe Joyce outworking him and getting a late stoppage or Dillian could land one of his crazy left hooks and drop him.
Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker – who wins and why?
I do fancy Daniel Dubois because I think Joseph Parker has put on too much weight, but he might surprise us and have great punching power, show his speed and look explosive by hurting Dubois. I just think Joseph’s best tactic would be to do what he did against Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang – negate the power and get to work with the counter shots, fitness and determination. If he has decided to swap all of that for punching power, then I think he will come unstuck against Daniel Dubois.
Was there ever any conversation to fight Dubois yourself rather than Joseph Parker?
No, there was never any conversation. I think although I would’ve grabbed it with both hands, it would’ve been harsh because the people like Joseph Parker who have fought at heavyweight rather than me. But now, I have won a fight, have an upcoming fight and am in the WBC rankings. Now, it is all guns blazing with every fight.
What do you think of boxing’s Undisputed game?
I like it, but my only problem is that my rating should be higher. But other than that, it’s a good game. I’m rated at 81.
Jake Paul is in the same division as me on the game but rated above me, so I had to send a message and ask how they got them to do that. I just think during the next few wins I’m going to be petitioning a higher rating.
Did that annoy you?
My rating… yes and no. I was thinking what would I actually rate myself and we all say 99 but I would give myself high 80s, and if I get some big wins over the next couple of years then high 90s.
I understand the game and you have to give Jake Paul his respect as a professional entity. Maybe I need to sell more tickets, knock more people out and then I will get a higher rating.
Tyson Fury – will he stay retired?
I think he comes back. He’s probably made nine figures from boxing and could easily retire but once he has allowed those Oleksandr Usyk defeats to settle, I think he will think he can beat other guys in the division. Just because you lose to one great fighter doesn’t mean you are not a great fighter still, so I think he will come back. As a fighting man, someone who has created such a legacy, he won’t want to go out with two losses.
I think Anthony Joshua will go elsewhere before Tyson Fury and have something more concrete, and then Fury will watch it and say ‘he managed to win that and looked good’ so I’ll come back and fight him.