Lawrence Okolie will challenge Lukasz Rozanski for the WBC bridgerweight championship on Friday, May 24th at the Podpromie Arena in Rzeszow, Poland, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland. The former British, Commonwealth, European and WBO cruiserweight king makes his long awaited return to the ring as he bids to become a two-weight world ruler by taking on the undefeated Rozanski in the champion’s backyard. Rozanski, who boasts a frightening knockout ratio with fourteen of his fifteen victories coming inside the distance, will be bringing big-time boxing back to Rzeszow having claimed the WBC Bridgerweight belt with a ferocious first-round stoppage win over the previously unbeaten Alen Babic in front of his home fans in April last year.
Okolie, the 31 year-old from Hackney, who represented Team GB at the 2016 Rio Olympics, first captured world honors in March 2021 with a knockout win over Rozanski’s countryman Krzysztof Glowacki. ‘The Sauce’ moves up in weight for his first professional bout above the 200-pound limit following a majority decision loss against former stablemate Chris Billam-Smith in an epic world title showdown in May 2023 at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth.
Okolie said: “I’m excited to go to Poland and test myself yet again on away ground. Rozanski is a good champion, with an explosive style, but I’m coming to do some serious damage. He has never seen power like mine.”
Rozanski said: “I’m defending my World Title in my own backyard, in my city, fighting against a former World Champion. It’s a fantastic fight, for moments like these, I’ve trained hard all my life.”
The WBC bridgerweight title fight between Lukasz Rozanski and Lawrence Okolie will be the second event co-promoted by Boxxer and Knockout Promotions following a successful collaboration in April 2023.
Boxxer CEO and Founder Ben Shalom said: “We’re excited to be returning to Poland and working once again with our friends at Knockout Promotions for what promises to be another spectacular night of boxing. I was ringside to watch Rozanski beat Babic inside a round to claim the WBC bridgerweight title so I know Lawrence will need to be at his best to bring the belt back to the UK. I believe at this heavier weight we will see the best and most destructive version of Lawrence Okolie.”
Andrew Wasilewski for Knockout Promotions said: “I’m delighted that Knockout Promotions will be organizing another gala in cooperation with our English colleagues from Boxxer. We had hoped that last year’s gala would be the beginning of further collaboration, and it is happening. We are thrilled and can’t wait.” This event is presented in association with official partner Integritas Property Group.
BOXINGTALK'S BRIDGERWEIGHT DIVISION TIMELINE
WBA / DEC. 12, 2023: Evgeny Tishchenko is now recognized as the first WBA bridgerweight champion after he defeated Germany's Leon Harth this weekend at the Agenda Arena in Dubai. The Russian Tischenko finished the fight in the sixth round against Harth to join South Africa's Kevin Lerena as the two recognized champions in the nascent 224-pound weight class. Tishchenko dominated the bout, winning every round and getting a
knockdown in the second round. The fight ended when Harth
took a ten count after a hard shot to his body. Tishchenko's most accurate pro record is 21-3 including the World Series of Boxing. Harth falls to 22-6-1.
WBC / NOV. 27, 2023: In a 224-pound fight held in South Africa on Saturday, Kevin Lerena outclassed rugged Senad Gashi, landing powerful accurate blows throughout the twelve rounds of the fight. Lerena diminished Gashi’s condition round by round. Gashi never stopped fighting and trying to win, but Lerena remained focused on his fight plan to tilt the fight in his favor. Gashi was penalized a point in the final round after hitting Lerena with a low blow. The South African took revenge for this action by knocking down Gashi seconds before the end of the last round. The judges scored the fight in favor of Lerena, declaring him the new WBC interim bridgerweight champion. He now looks forward to facing champion Lukasz Różański, who is expected to fight two-time world champion Badou Jack first.
WBC / APRIL 23, 2023: Poland's
Lukasz Rozanski became the second WBC bridgerweight champion, winning the vacant 224-pound title by knocking out Croatia's Alen Babic in the very first round at the G2A Arena in Rzeszow, Poland. Rozanski didn’t give Babic an opportunity to get comfortable because as soon as the bell rang in the first round, the wild-swinging Pole attacked the visiting Croatian with power,
sending him to the canvas. Babic got to his feet, but Rozanski connected with a powerful right hand that again put Babic in bad shape, and then Babic was battered with all kinds of combinations. The referee Guadalupe García decided to stop the fight because Babic was receiving too much punishment. With this victory, Rozanski established himself as the WBC bridgerweight champion, succeeding Oscar Rivas, whose career ended due to eye problems. Rozanski improved his record to 15-0 with 14 knockouts. Babic, who had his manager, English heavyweight Dillian Whyte in his corner, fell to 12-2 (including the World Series of Boxing).
WBC / JAN. 7, 2023: Oscar Rivas is now the first-ever bridgerweight champion in recess. The WBC clarified that Rivas has not been stripped of his bridgerweight championship, but instead has been demoted to champion in recess until he confirms his decision about his boxing future. Rivas suffered a detached retina and will not be able to fight his contracted bout with Lukasz Rozanski of Poland. The WBC Board of governors has voted in favor of the following resolution to immediately address the status of the new 224-pound weight division: Alen Babic and Rozanski will fight for the vacant title with a 50-50 purse split if a purse bid is needed. The winner must commit to comply with two mandatories, the first one against the winner of a final eliminator between Ryad Merhy vs. Kevin Lerena.
WBC / APRIL 27, 2022: Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), Probellum and Global Jabes 77 held a joint press conference in Bogota, Colombia, to announce WBC bridgerweight champion Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs) will make his first title defense on August 13th at home against Poland's Lukasz Rozanski (14-0, 13 KOs) at the Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero stadium (40,000 capacity) in Cali, Colombia. **The fight would never take place after it was revealed that Rivas had a detached retina and could not fight anymore.**
WBC / OCT. 23, 2021: Colombian transplant Oscar Rivas emerged from an all-Canadian slugfest as the first bridgerweight world champion. Rivas defeated Ryan Rozicki in a phone booth-type fight by scores of 115-112 (twice) and 116-111 to win the inaugural WBC 224-pound honors. An exhausted Rivas bloodied Rozicki's nose and brow but had a point deducted in round twelve for excessive holding. Rozicki took the fight on barely three weeks’ notice after Bryant Jennings refusal to get the coronavirus vaccine barred him from fighting in Canada.
