WBO cruiserweight champion Lawrence ‘The Sauce’ Okolie 19-0 (14) retained his title with a clear-cut win over mandatory contender David ‘The Great White’ Light 20-1 (12) at the AO Arena in Manchester, England on Saturday night, but it wasn’t the breakout performance he was hoping for.
The bout was marred by messy clinching that eventually cost the 30-year-old Okolie a point in the penultimate round.
Okolie used his jab as a measuring stick throughout the fight for his big right hand. Any time New Zealand’s White, 31, closed the distance, Okolie would grapple. White’s corner also complained about low blows.
In the 10th a big straight right stiffened Light’s legs and despite connecting with a number of flush follow-up blows, London’s Okolie couldn’t put the challenger away.
At the conclusion of the bout all three judges had Okolie winning. Jean Gautier had it 119-108, Deon Dwarte saw it 117-110, while Michael Alexander had it surprisingly close at 116-112.
Okolie has spent over a year on the sidelines following a contractual dispute with his former promoter Eddie Hearn. It was also his first fight with new trainer SugarHill Steward.
“I’d give myself probably a five or six out of 10 for the performance,” Okolie said. “I don’t know if it was just a bit of ring rust but I’ve shaken it off now.
“He was very tough. I always believe between 7-9 are my rounds to get people out of there and that was when I was starting to hurt him but I couldn’t get that last shot to drop him.”
“It’s what I expected because he’s been out for 13 months,” promoter Ben Shalom of Boxxer said to BBC Radio 5 Live.
“David Light is a very tough guy and I think Lawrence boxed well at times. He could have got him out of there in at least three rounds.
“For me, he had to take this fight because it was a mandatory. Now we can move to Richard Riakporhe and a unification fight. I can’t see a cruiserweight coming near to him to be honest.
“After 13 months out and a complete change in trainer it’s a job well done.”
One interested observer who didn’t rate Okolie’s performance was IBF and Ring magazine cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia 22-0 (17) of Australia, who has a mandatory title defence of his own due against Poland’s Mateusz Masternak 47-5 (31).
“Grass growing, paint drying, Okolie boxing… Just a reminder who’s the man in this division. @ringmagazine and @IBFUSBAboxing champ,” Opetaia posted to social media.
There seems to be an appetite on both sides for a unification bout.
“I’ll fight anyone,” Okolie said. “If people watch me and say I’m rubbish, come and fight me and see for yourself.”
Southpaw Opetaia, 27, has not boxed since his world title winning effort against Mairis Briedis 28-2 (20) last July that saw his jaw broken in two places. He has also been going through the courts in a contractual dispute with promoter Dean Lonergan.
