British boxer Lawrence Okolie has vacated his WBC bridgerweight world title. The decision reflects his intention to move up to the heavyweight division. With this move, Kevin Lerena, who was previously the interim champion, has been upgraded to full world champion.
Okolie had previously anticipated this shift in his career. His goal is to establish himself as a world champion in three different divisions before retiring. The British boxer aims to further enhance his legacy in the sport of boxing.
The British boxer’s current record stands at 20 wins, 1 loss, and 0 draws. Out of those victories, 15 have come by knockout, giving him a knockout ratio of 75%. His sole loss came by judges’ decision on the scorecards. Lawrence Okolie has fought a total of 109 rounds, averaging 5.2 rounds per fight.
His last fight took place on May 24, 2024, in Rzeszow, Poland. In that match, he defeated Lukasz Rozanski by technical knockout in the first round. This dominant win reaffirmed his prowess in the ring and closed a chapter before his move to the heavyweight division.
On the other hand, Kevin Lerena holds a record of 30 wins, 3 losses, and 0 draws. Of his 30 victories, he has knocked out 14 opponents, giving him a knockout ratio of 47%. Of his three losses, one came by knockout, and he has fought a total of 229 rounds in his career. This means his fights last an average of 6.9 rounds.
Lerena has won 3 of his last 5 fights. However, in his last bout on March 8, 2024, he lost to Justis Huni by unanimous decision over 10 rounds. This fight took place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
🚨 OKOLIE VACATES BRIDGERWEIGHT BELT
Lawrence Okolie has now officially vacated his WBC Bridgerweight title that he won with a first round TKO over Lukasz Rozanski in Poland in May. South Africa’s Kevin Lerena has been upgraded to full champion. (@JakeNDaBox) pic.twitter.com/Sp3HpEANNY
— EverythingBoxing (@EverythingBoxi2) October 8, 2024
On Saturday, October 12, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol will face off to determine the undisputed light heavyweight world champion. If you want more details about the fight card and timings, click here.
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