MY HEART SAYS GO FOR IT

Lawrence Okolie says his heart is telling him to take a leap up in levels and fight for a world title in his next bout.

The British and Commonwealth cruiserweight champion, now 12-0 (9 KOs), has been professional for exactly two years and in that time cleaned up the domestic scene.

Lawrence Okolie is ranked #6 with the WBA

A logical next step would see the Rio 2016 Olympian slowly test his ability at European level before dipping his toes into the world pool, however an opportunity may have arisen that could allow him to bypass this.

“I would obviously fight anyone, genuinely anyone,” Okolie told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast on talkSPORT.

“If they said, this date, this is how much you’re getting, let’s go to work – then I’m gonna go to work.

“Which is probably why I’ve managed to move so quickly as an amateur and so quickly as a pro.”

Denis Lebedev is expected to soon become WBA champion again

After Okolie’s win over Wadi Camacho on Saturday, promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that the Denis Lebedev fight will be available, should his team want to take it next.

The vastly experience 39-year-old Russian has been pro since 2001 and held the WBA world title between 2012-2018, before being made ‘Champion In Recess’ due to an absence from the ring.

With Oleksandr Usyk set to move up to heavyweight, Lebedev will almost certainly be reinstated as WBA champion, with Hearn claiming he can secure his first defence against the Brit.

“There’s mixed opinions in the camp right now about what to do,” Okolie explained. “But my heart says I should go for the Lebedev fight if it’s offered. So that’s what I’ll do.

“Obviously I have to take note, whatever really makes sense, that’s what I’ll go for.

“I think the Lebedev fight makes sense, but I’ll see.”