Lawrence Okolie has a three-point plan that would see him fight Daniel Dubois in a heavyweight world title unification.
First, Okolie must beat 2016 Olympic gold medallist Tony Yoka when they box in Paris on April 25.
Victory would leave Okolie as the WBC’s No 1-ranked heavyweight contender, behind WBC Interim titlist and Oleksandr Usyk’s mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel.
If Usyk doesn’t defend the full WBC title against Kabayel, Okolie expects to box the German for that world championship.
Usyk didn’t defend his WBO belt against mandatory challenger Fabio Wardley and is now taking on kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in a crossover contest.
Former two-division champion Lawrence Okolie backs Daniel Dubois to beat Fabio Wardley in their WBO heavyweight title clash and eyes a future bout with his former gym mate.
“Everyone’s going to have to force the issue, Agit’s team, my team, we’re all going to have to force the position and hope that the WBC does the right thing,” Okolie told Sky Sports.
“Usyk has to fight [Kabayel] and if he doesn’t box him in a timely fashion and agree, strip him and then let him box whoever he wants to box at the end of the year and then we’ll box in the autumn for the full world title.
“That’s why I’m so eager to beat Yoka and beat him well because I know what comes off the back end of it. So I’ve just got to get it done.”
He think Daniel Dubois will beat Fabio Wardley in May to win the WBO title and Okolie envisages boxing Dubois in a heavyweight world championship down the line.
Chris Billam-Smith admits potential bouts with former foe Lawrence Okolie and Deontay Wilder could tempt him to move up from the cruiserweight division.
“I sparred him loads, I’ve been sparring him since the Great Britain days, we’ve done countless rounds,” Okolie said of Dubois. “My aim is to win in France, win in Germany, then win in England and be king of it all.
“I do think it probably will be me and Dan.”
He added: “I think that Dubois is going to win because he’s got a lot more experience at the level and he’s beaten better guys. And I think that, stylistically as well, if they do start trading, unless Fabio’s that much quicker than him, Dan definitely punches harder than him. So I think he’ll probably hurt him.
“If they catch Dan early, hard then we could see a few repeats of some performances. But I’d be favouring Dan in that fight.”
Daniel Dubois refused to shake Fabio Wardley’s hand after they faced off for the first time at the launch press conference ahead of their fight in May.
British revenge
Okolie’s Olympic team-mate Joe Joyce lost a controversial decision to Yoka in the super-heavyweight final at Rio 2016. He wants to exact some revenge.
“One hundred per cent,” Okolie said. “Joe messaged me, actually, and said beat him up for me – and I will. I watched that fight live and I was so disappointed.”
Even though Yoka will have home advantage, Okolie’s confidence remains undimmed ahead of their contest.
“I’d like to see how he handles the pressure of the day, the fans cheering, the expectation and whatever else. When you’ve got all that and you’ve got someone like myself who you know at any point if I catch you properly is going to hurt you, it’ll be interesting to see how that all boils together,” Okolie said.
“I feel like in life there’s winners and there’s losers, and I think I’m more of a winner than he is. And that’s why I expect to get this one done.”
Watch the Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper bill live on Sky Sports on Sunday April 5.
