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Lawrence Okolie Outpoints David Light In Scrappy World Title Defence

Written by Kerr Ferguson on 25th March 2023.

Lawrence Okolie vs David Light

Lawrence Okolie christened his partnership with BOXXER and Sky Sports in Manchester with a points victory over David Light to retain his WBO Cruiserweight title.

Okolie’s first outing as a BOXXER fighter on Sky Sports after a tumultuous split from Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom also marked his maiden contest with new trainer, SugarHill Steward. The rangey cruiserweight champ saw the effect Steward had on Tyson Fury’s style, and wanted a piece himself.

Light came into the ring a significant underdog – undefeated in twenty fights and off the back of a great 2022, yes, but simply untested at this level.

If there was one thing he had over Okolie, it was activity. The Brit was last out in February of 2022 – a unanimous decision win over Poland’s Michal Cieslak.

New Zealand’s Light was at the mercy of Okolie’s reach straightaway, the Brit using his trademark clinch when he came into range. Okolie worked the body well, and found success with some right hooks but missed just as many.

The champion feinted his way to some success in the second, still not quite having the distance measured to land pitch perfect. Light made it hard by stepping in well when Okolie was attacking, but his constant walking forward was ominous as Okolie started to get his rhythm.

Steward told his charge to keep working the body before the third and he would see it pay off, but he didn’t follow instructions and Light had a little more of a look in. The fourth was a dizzying dance in the centre of the ring with not much action at all.

Okolie landed a nice right hand in the fifth, using all of his 82 inch reach, but the challenger continued to come forward. He was on the end of the champ’s jab in the sixth – albeit with no real power behind it. They looked bored of the fight at the end of the round, going back to their corners a few seconds early.

Okolie turned up the aggression a bit in the seventh, catching Light’s body again and upping his movement. It was scrappy and very grabby though. Light felt he was hit low on more than one occasion, and he had a case.

There were some boos in Manchester at the beginning of the ninth. David Light had a good flurry at the end of the round before being caught with a stiff Okolie jab.

Okolie upped his gear in the tenth and hurt Light with a straight right, followed up with and another and then another. The Kiwi fighter shelled up as he tried to het his legs back under him. Okolie switched to hooks but Light had weathered the storm. Good chin from the challenger in the most exciting moment of the fight.

The eleventh saw Light come out recovered, but in desperate need of a stoppage to win. Okolie clinched and clinched, walking Light back to the ropes. A point was taken by the referee for the way in which he was holding. The champion answered that by wobbling Light with a right hand followed up by an uppercut. Once again, though, the man from New Zealand stayed standing.

The twelfth went without incident, and it was over. Unanimous decision – 116-112, 119-108, and 117-110 – to Okolie. He rated his performance a five or six out of ten. Frankly, it wasn’t the debut anyone would’ve wanted, save for perhaps his ex-promoter.

Fans will hope Okolie, now 14-0, goes straight into a bout with domestic rival, Richard Riakporhe, but a unification could be on the cards, perhaps against IBF champ Jai Opetaia.

Frazer Clarke vs Bogdan Dinu

Olympic Bronze Medalist, Clarke, moved to 6-0 in his pro campaign with a stoppage victory over Dinu, now 20-5, all losses coming inside the distance.

American Rydell Booker was initially supposed to provide the test for Clarke, however he pulled out from illness. Enter Dinu, whose last outing was 4th round KO at the hands of Kevin Lerena, and the one before that a 2nd round stoppage courtesy of Daniel Dubois.

Clare picked up a cut in the first whilst he worked the substantial body of the Romanian, having success with his jab up top, too. Dinu’s attempts to clinch and frustrate him in the second were broken down towards the end of the round, the body work still paramount.

Tasha Jonas from ringside overheard Dinu tell his team ‘he’s broke my rib’ before the third and that was it – he ordered them to end it. Clarke scores a round 3 stoppage against another late replacement, and is now angling for a fight with British Champion, Fabio Wardley.

Michael Gomez Jr vs Levi Giles – English Super Fetherweight Title

After some drama at the weight-in from an overexcited Gomez Jr, the pair faced off properly in the ring. Giles put his undefeated record on the line looking to hand Gomez Jr his second loss, but ultimately fell short on the cards.

It looked like Giles would keep his 0 through three, doing his best work on the move and taking advantage of a patient Gomez Jr. If there was a gap, it was closed in the fourth, with Gomez Jr taking his trainer’s advice to up his work rate.

What followed was a closely fought contest with Giles looking to close the distance and let his combinations go, testing the defence of Giles. He was slowing though, with Gomez Jr’s game plan beginning to pay off in the second half.

Gomez took it by split decision – 97-93 and 97-94 to him, 96-95 to Giles. There was respect – and an apology from Gomez Jr for the weigh-in shove – after the fight.

Karriss Artingstall vs Linzi Buczynskyj – Featherweight

Olympic Bronze Medalist, Artingstall, continued her undefeated campaign in her third pro outing, this time against now 4-2 Buczynksyj.

The underdog gave as good as she got, but her action lacked the accuracy and timing of Artingstall’s. Buczynksyj asked questions all night, and wasn’t deterred.

It was Artingstall who looked in control though, and finished the rounds impressively. She took it 60-55 on the judge’s scorecard.

Callum Simpson vs Celso Neves – Super middleweight

Barnsley’s Simpson won the Central Area title last time out, and stayed undefeated in his 168lb campaign against Portugal’s Neves. The home fighter dropped his opponent in the first – a reminder to protect yourself at all times – and continued to impose himself throughout the second.

The pair traded right hooks in the third, but it was Simpson’s that will end up on the highlight reel. Neves buckled. He made a valiant effort to continue, but the referee waved it off. Simpson moves to 11-0 with 9 stoppages and some tasty contests on the horizon.

  • Rhys Edwards vs Brian Phillips – Edwards decision
  • Shakiel Thompson vs Robert Talarek – Thompson decision
  • Aaron McKenna vs Jordan Grant – McKenna decision
  • Harvey Lambert vs Casey Brown – Lambert decision