Briton Lawrence Okolie defended his WBO cruiserweight belt with a snug but scrappy points victory over Michal Cieslak at London’s O2 Arena.
The 29-year-old floored the Polish challenger within the fifth spherical however was not at his fluent greatest in a bout the place each males continued to grapple and maintain.
The judges’ scorecards learn 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112 – all to Okolie.
“It was a flat efficiency and I allowed it to get messy,” Okolie instructed 5 Live Boxing.
“This was a type of days the place it was powerful, awkward, and the man was bodily sturdy, however I must work on the mentality that it would not should be excellent.
“I’ll return to the health club, go once more and make it proper the subsequent time.”
The Londoner now strikes nearer to a unification bout, with IBF champion Mairis Briedis a doable opponent.
Raucous crowd however scrappy bout
Prime time boxing on a Sunday night is a rarity and within the build-up to the principle occasion there was a considerably extra placid, but intimate, ambiance in comparison with common world-title struggle nights.
But the 6,000 followers in attendance definitely made themselves heard when Okolie entered the ring alongside former heavyweight champion and mentor Anthony Joshua and UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
There was additionally enormous Polish assist for Cieslak – the sector at instances resembling a soccer floor with chants exchanged between the house and away followers.
Okolie edged the primary spherical with an enormous proper which landed cleanly in an in any other case scrappy begin.
The fighters engaged in additional clinches and smothered one another’s advances in rounds two to 4 however Okolie – with efficient jabs to the physique – was doing sufficient to manage the struggle and win the rounds.
By the fifth spherical, Okolie had discovered his vary and regarded mild on his toes. A chopping proper glanced the highest of Cieslak’s head after which moments later Okolie countered with a proper and the challenger was down on one knee.
Cieslak shook off the knockdown and recovered effectively within the sixth spherical. He linked with an uppercut within the seventh and a straight left whereas Okolie was backing away within the eighth – however the champion was the busier fighter.
Okolie twice landed cleanly within the tenth spherical however because the struggle headed to its conclusion, each males began to get extra reckless and the holding appeared to worsen.
Despite the ungainly and sometimes ugly nature of the struggle, as the ultimate bell rung there was no query as to who the winner was.
What’s subsequent for Okolie?
It might not have been his biggest efficiency to this point however Okolie is an undefeated world champion with 18 straight wins as knowledgeable.
The 200lb (14.4 stone) division – in comparison with different weight lessons – has traditionally struggled for depth. With only a handful of elite-level champions and contenders, he might now be offered a chance to unify the division and earn his standing because the cruiserweight king.
Congolese fighter Ilunga Makabu – who misplaced to Briton Tony Bellew in 2016 and beat Cieslak in 2020 – holds the WBC belt and will effectively be the subsequent man Okolie faces.
There can also be undefeated Frenchman Arsen Goulamirian – the WBA ‘Super’ champion – however he has not competed in over two years.
Domestically, Chris Billam-Smith is ranked within the high 10 with all governing our bodies and undefeated Richard Riakporhe – who has crushed Billiam-Smith – can also be in world-title rivalry.
The most entertaining and worthwhile struggle for Okolie, nevertheless, can be a unification battle in opposition to the outspoken and sometimes unpredictable Briedis.
“That’s the struggle we wish to see,” promoter Eddie Hearn stated.
The 37-year-old Briedis brought about a stir final 12 months when he obtained a tattoo calling out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul – an act which alienated boxing fanatics and one which Okolie described as “ridiculous”.
Okolie has spoken of the calls for of creating weight and if the unification fights don’t materialise, he might transfer up a weight class and try and emulate fellow Briton David Haye, American nice Evander Holyfield and Ukraine’s present unified champion Oleksandr Usyk in profitable world titles at each cruiserweight and heavyweight.
Hearn added: “Okolie will transfer to heavyweight – you will notice him at 16 stone plus – however with his means he can win all of the belts on this division and I’d prefer to see him try this earlier than he makes the transfer to heavyweight.”
Yafai stars on debut & Gill thrills with ‘Rocky’ efficiency
On the undercard, Olympic gold medallist Galal Yafai made an enormous assertion on his skilled debut, stopping Carlos Bautista within the fifth spherical to win the WBC worldwide flyweight title.
It was an aesthetic efficiency from the 29-year-old Birmingham boxer, who received gold in Tokyo final summer time.
Southpaw Yafai showcased fast arms, repeatedly pierced the Mexican’s guard and was additionally stable in defence in opposition to an skilled opponent who himself landed a number of clear blows.
Yafai completed it off with a fantastic right-left mixture to ground Bautista, with the referee stopping the struggle simply because the nook have been about to throw within the towel.
In a completely outstanding struggle, Jordan ‘The Thrill’ Gill lived as much as his identify with a sensational ninth-round knockout win over Karim Guerfi to seize the European featherweight title.
Gill was in management till he was unexpectedly floored by the Frenchman within the seventh spherical. Guerfi continued the onslaught within the subsequent two rounds, with Gill pinned to the nook and the referee poised to cease the struggle.
Then, out of nowhere, Gill unleashed an overhand evening and Guerfi hit the canvas. Gill, whereas celebrating, was nonetheless on unsteady legs.
“That was probably the most beautiful issues I’ve seen,” promoter Eddie Hearn stated.
“It was like one thing out of a Rocky film. It was not human what Jordan Gill did there. He by no means give up.”
Earlier within the evening, Anthony Fowler earned a hard-fought 10-round points win over Poland’s Lukasz Maciec and undefeated light-weight Campbell Hatton – son of British and Manchester boxing icon Ricky Hatton – continued his schooling in skilled boxing with a sixth-round stoppage win over Joe Ducker.
There was an explosive debut victory for Olympian Cheavon Clarke, the cruiserweight stopping Croatia’s Toni Visi within the second spherical with a flurry of punches, whereas undefeated heavyweight Fabio Wardley knocked out American Daniel Martz within the second spherical.
