Former unified cruiserweight champion and former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye believes that WBO cruiser champ Lawrence Okolie can duplicate the Bermondsey man’s achievements.
Okolie, 18-0 (14), meets fellow unbeaten cruiserweight David Light, from New Zealand, on Saturday night in Manchester on a bill that is screened by Probox TV internationally and on Sky Sports in the UK.
Haye has been impressed with Okolie’s during his rise but it’s what he has seen behind closed doors that makes him rate Okolie’s chances of successfully moving up from cruiserweight to heavyweight.
While Okolie’s new coach, Sugar Hill, is taking things one fight at a time, the 6ft 5ins Londoner Okolie has spoken of his desire to move up to heavyweight and challenge for titles before he retires.
“I believe he will be a very good heavyweight,” Haye added. “I believe he has the potential to do what myself, [Evander] Holyfield, and [Oleksandr] Usyk have done and win a heavyweight championship. I’d chuck him in there with any heavyweights and feel he’d have a better chance than most of the top 10 contenders currently. I’m a big fan.”