UK-based boxing promotion Boxxer has done it again. Lawrence Okolie has officially withdrawn from the purse bid proceedings with Kevin Lerena which were supposed to be held yesterday on October 8. As has become terrifyingly normal for Boxxer, Okolie is the latest fighter under the promotional brand to pull out of a purse bid at the very last moment. Prior to the purse bid arrangements for October 8, Okolie and Lerena had already been given a week to negotiate for a mandatory bout at bridgerweight. According to the WBC, Okolie has set his sights on becoming a heavyweight champion.
British fighter’s Lawrence Okolie’s (20-1, 15 KO’s) withdrawal from the October 8 purse bid only further deteriorates promotional outfit Boxxer who has pulled out numerous fighters from purse bids over the past two years. Lawrence Okolie has become the latest Boxxer fighter to do follow what has now become tradition, choosing to coincidentally vacate his WBC bridgerweight title―which would be put on the line against South African WBC mandatory Kevin Lerena (30-3, 14 KO’s).
According to The Ring Boxing Magazine’s Jake Donovan, Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed yesterday that they received confirmation of Okolie vacating his WBC bridgerweight title:
“The WBC has received official confirmation from Lawrence Okolie that he has decided to relinquish his Bridgerweight championship in order to pursue his dream of becoming Heavyweight champion,” The Ring confirmed through an official statement from WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman.
“Consequently Interim champion Kevin Lerena is hereby confirmed as WBC World Bridgerwieght champion.”
The WBC would later officially confirm this through their own press release which contained a statement from Lawrence Okolie pertaining to the relinquishment of his WBC title:
“Firts I would like to state how proud and happy I was to compete for and win the WBC bridgerweight belt,” Said Lawrence Okolie. “After much consideration it is with a heavy heart that I have to unfortunately relinquish the WBC bridgerweight belt respectfully requesting to be rated in the top 5 in the heavyweight division.“
Kevin Lerena has now been elevated to WBC bridgerweight champion, and appears poised to be ordered against the best available WBC bridgerweight contender. Polish contender Adam Balski (20-2, 17 KO’s) is currently rated at #1 in the WBC’s bridgerweight rankings.
Lawrence Okolie seems to now plan to move up to heavyweight (200+ lbs) to test himself. He had previously won the WBC bridgerweight title after defeating the then-holder of the belt, Polish fighter Lukasz Rozanski (15-1, 14 KO’s), in just the 1st round of their 12-round title bout.
Prior to his first and only fight at bridgerweight, Okolie lost his WBO cruiserweight (200 lbs) title to fellow Brit Chris Billam-Smith (20-1, 13 KO’s) in 2023―after a reign from 2021 to 2023 which saw him succesfully defend his WBO title four times.
As usual, Boxxer is set to face zero repercussions for Okolie’s withdrawal from the purse bid. Numerous other instances have yet to be met with any sort of reprisal from sanctioning or governing bodies―usually do the fact that the fighter pulling out of a purse bid or a mandatory bout does not directly signify a promoter is at fault as it is presumed to be their own choice.
However, with Okolie just one out of many other examples of Boxxer fighters that has withdrawn from sanctioning body-ordered bouts or purse bids, there must be a reframing of the rules to prevent these instances from reoccurring if fighters of only one particular promotion keep pulling out.
Notably, Kevin Lerena had already complained about the negotiations that were occurring with Lawrence Okolie and his representatives, claiming that Okolie was attempting to sidestep the WBC’s mandate to face him in order to face another British former cruiserweight contender and Boxxer fighter in Richard Riakporhe (17-1, 13 KO’s).
As such, it is a possibility that the two British fighters will be fighting at heavyweight in the near future, with a possible date expected for early 2025.
