In the Michal Cieslak vs. Lawrence Okolie match, the latter will guard the cruiserweight championship belt against Michal from Poland. The match will occur at the O2 Arena in London on Sunday, February 27. Okolie thought that he would be going against the IBF belt holder Mairis Briedis in a title unification match. But he had to undertake his belt's mandatory defense challenge in the Michal Cieslak vs. Lawrence Okolie match that stopped it from happening. This can be one of the last matches of Lawrence Olokie at this weight class before he attempts to move up to heavyweight. But the boxer, who has been an Olympic athlete in the past, will have to be at his top form in this match. His rival is coming into this match in great form, having recently won a couple of stoppage victories.
Michal Cieslak vs. Lawrence Okolie Prediction: Okolie Won His Belt a Year Ago
Okolie had won his belt by knockout against Krzysztof Glowacki in the middle rounds nearly a year ago. He had his initial belt defense when he won via knockout against Dilan Prasovic in the early rounds half a year ago. There had been speculation of Okolie going against Mairis Briedis, who holds the IBF world championship belt, in a unification clash. But the boxer was ordered to face the mandatory challenger for his belt. Cieslak is among the top ten boxers globally in the cruiserweight division. He has got another shot at the world championship. Two years ago, he was defeated in the final rounds by Illunga Junior Makabu. The match was for the vacant WBC cruiserweight championship belt in a fight that saw both the boxers get knockouts. But, Makabu took control over the match till the final stretch to give his rival his first defeat as a professional.
After that loss, the boxer has since come back with consecutive stoppage wins. He seeks to become the fourth Pole in boxing history to get a cruiserweight championship belt. Okolie has knocked out most of his recent rivals. So, he is ahead of his rival in the Michal Cieslak vs. Lawrence Okolie match. The tall powerhouse boxer has obtained more than six consecutive victories against a group of rivals that were better than him. This includes a few previously undefeated boxers and a former titleholder. Okolie got a stoppage victory in the middle rounds against Yves Ngabu three years ago before a quick win in the initial rounds against Nikodem Jezewski more than a year later. The boxer's dreams later became a reality when he dropped his rival Glowacki on his back with a great right-hand last year at the Wembley Arena in London to become a championship belt holder for the first time.
Cieslak and Okolie will fight it out to find out who is the better knockout artist between them in the Michal Cieslak vs. Lawrence Okolie match. The fans will not have to wait for a long time. They will find everything out in about a week. Okolie said, "Thank you to Cieslak for accepting the fight. I'm sure he is coming to get revenge for Glowacki! He is a good, strong campaigner who should be one of my toughest tests to date. I was fast at cruiserweight, and I expected to do the same at heavyweight. I'm world champion at cruiserweight, which shows my level, and I don't want to drop down because I'm heavyweight. I believe in my team and the people I've got around me, and when the time comes to get to heavyweight, I want the best fights from the start."
While talking about Canelo, he said, “No matter what, Canelo is a great fighter. He might be smaller or whatever else, but he's pound-for-pound No.1. He and Makabu are actually an interesting fight that makes you go, 'oh, who do I favor in that one?' I'm realistic, and I just can't see Canelo and me fighting. I'd be so shocked if they wanted that fight. Not because they're scared or anything but just the height difference, the weight difference, the strength. It's just too much. He's probably the best in the world at the moment, a very talented fighter. Still, there are just limitations to the human body. That is someone who weighs in 200-pounds vs. someone who's able to weigh in at 168-pounds, not to mention what they are on the day. It would be nice for my bank account and, of course, my legacy, but I just can't see it happening personally."
Okolie Record and Bio
Nationality: Great Britain
Date of birth: December 16th, 1992
Height: 6' 5"
Reach: 82.5"
Total fights: 17
Record: 17-0 (14 KOs)
Cieslak Record and Bio
Nationality: Poland
Date of birth: April 19th, 1989
Height: 6' 3"
Reach: 79"
Total fights: 23
No contest: 1
Record: 21-1 (15 KOs)
Michal Cieslak vs. Lawrence Okolie Fight Card
Lawrence Okolie vs. Michal Cieslak; WBO world cruiserweight title
Karim Guerfi vs. Jordan Gill; EBU European featherweight title
Anthony Fowler vs. Lukasz Maciec; Middleweight
Demsey McKean vs. Ariel Esteban Bracamonte; Heavyweight
Campbell Hatton vs. Joe Ducker; Lightweight
John Hedges vs. Aleksander Nagolski; Light heavyweight