Lawrence Okolie fights for WBO cruiserweight title on March 20, live on Sky Sports, against Krzysztof Glowacki; Dillian Whyte’s rematch with Alexander Povetkin is on March 27, live on Sky Sports Box Office
James Dielhenn
Lawrence Okolie should reignite a rivalry with Dillian Whyte by challenging him to a heavyweight fight, says Derek Chisora.
Okolie and Whyte had a war of words in 2019 that required tense peace talks in order to cool the simmering animosity.
Undefeated Okolie’s chance to become WBO cruiserweight champion against Krzysztof Glowacki is on March 20, live on Sky Sports, before Whyte’s rematch with Alexander Povetkin on March 27, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
“Okolie will smoke that guy then have two choices – stay at cruiserweight or come up to heavyweight,” Chisora told Sky Sports News.
“If I was him? Win that one, then go to heavyweight and challenge Dillian Whyte.”
Okolie is managed by Anthony Joshua and also has a potential collision course with Richard Riakporhe, Whyte’s protégé.
The pot has been stirred by Chisora who was twice beaten by Whyte in grudge matches that spilled over into acrimony outside of the ring too.
Chisora said about his fights with Whyte: “Power? I haven’t found anybody in boxing who has hit me so hard that I wanted to come out of the ring.
“Some old-school guys could hit you with a jab and it would be a long night.
“Dillian’s power is alright.”
Okolie kickstarted a rivalry with Whyte out of the blue two years ago, when he posted footage of a sparring session that they shared and a claim that he would win if they met in the ring.
Okolie explained at the time: “Dillian spoke about me on the day that I posted. I didn’t like what was said, so that’s his opinion of my boxing, so I made my opinion on him and me boxing.
“In terms of moving up to heavyweight, I believe definitely it’s something that’s going to happen. I always believe in myself and I’ve always set targets and gone and accomplished them.
“I’m not going to single him out and say I’m gunning for Whyte.
“I’m doing my own career, but at the end of the day, I don’t say stuff for no reason.”
Whyte’s response at the time was: “Look, I don’t have much time for sparring stories. Sparring is sparring, but Okolie is living on another planet.
“The last boxer to make up a sparring story about me was Chisora and everyone saw how that ended.
“If Okolie steps up to heavyweight I would end his career.”
Chisora, meanwhile, is hoping to entice Joseph Parker into the ring.
“Right now we are in talks about the fight to be in London,” he said.
