Lawrence Okolie knows what it’s like to spar Daniel Dubois and now predicts how his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk might go.
Dubois has been out of the ring since September, when he put on his best ever showing by knocking out former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua inside five rounds.
Before that, he also stopped Filip Hrgovic and Jarrell Miller to rebuild well after losing to Usyk in their first meeting by ninth round KO.
On July 19, Dubois has the chance to become undisputed champion, while a win for Usyk would mean he became a first-ever two-time undisputed heavyweight ruler in the four belt era.
Speaking to Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, former cruiserweight and bridgerweight world champion Okolie broke down the fight and wondered if Dubois’ youth, paired with unrelenting pressure, could be enough for him to get a win.
“I do this every single time and say that someone is going to beat Usyk, I think. At this stage, it’s going to come down to youth. Dan is very intense, he’s on a high right now, he’s going to have Don Charles in his corner screaming him on. Uysk is definitely a talented boxer, he’s one of the best we’ve seen, movement and keeping someone under mental pressure.
However if someone is not able to think about that and you’re not able to hurt them, although he did stop him in the last fight, if he comes in with that kill or be killed mentality and keeps going from round one to 12, at some point he’s going to catch Usyk and it could be the beginning of the end.”
Whoever comes out on top will likely have to quickly begin mandatory negotiations as two challengers, the IBF’s Derek Chisora and the WBO’s Joseph Parker, are both waiting for their shot at world honours.
