Billam-Smith And McGuigan: Chris Billam-Smith, a former sparring buddy turned adversary, is being cautioned by Lawrence Okolie. Understanding works both ways.
When the two of them trained at Shane McGuigan’s gym, Billam-Smith served as one of Okolie’s main sparring partners.
However, Okolie parted ways with McGuigan to work with new trainer SugarHill Steward. He will now face Billam-Smith on May 27 at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth when he defends his WBO cruiserweight championship.
With McGuigan in his corner for the fight and the several rounds of sparring they have shared, Billam-Smith is confident he has all the knowledge and experience necessary to defeat Okolie.
Okolie, though, argues that he is equally familiar with each of them.
“I am aware that they will appear. Their entire game strategy would revolve around jumping up on my chest and yelling for goals, among other things,” according to Okolie, speaking to Sky Sports.
“I am well aware of their mindset, which is that Lawrence cannot be defeated via physical combat. We cannot. We can attempt to score a lucky punch, but perhaps we can make it a maul and rally the support to knock him off.
“But I’ve never had that disposition. I’m eager to demonstrate my intense attention and razor-sharpness.”
“Long-range, domination” is what the Londoner is threatening.
“That kind of enthusiasm is what he was bringing to the fight,” he said.
“And because I am confident in my ability, I plan to try to break him that day. There you go.”
Okolie was the top player in the nation when Billam-Smith was a novice, and the Bournemouth player had him as a target back then.
“We’ll see whether it has any significance. But when you people watch me perform such stuff, it inspires me. Amateurs, British and Commonwealth, [I] came through. These people were already professionals and avoiding the game while I was winning the British title,” Okolie remarked.
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