Lawrence Okolie is an England-born professional boxer of Nigerian descent. He started his career in 2017 and he has won and defended the WBO World Cruiserweight Championship. He is currently ranked very highly according to The Ring Magazine and Box Rec.
The British-born fighter has a relationship that goes beyond professional with Nigeria’s Anthony Joshua. He is a published author and a Doctor of Sports from the University of East London. The Vegan boxer is currently single.
10 Interesting Facts About Lawrence Okolie
1. He Was Born to Nigerian Parents
Lawrence Okolie also known as The Sauce was born on December 16, 1992, in Hackey, London. His parents are Nigerians of Igbo descent from Anambra State, who migrated to England before the athlete was born.
He was raised in Stoke Newington and attended the Stoke Newington School.
2. He Took to Boxing to Lose Weight
Growing up, the young Okolie was overweight. He revealed that he was a secret eater, who would always make himself more food and snack before his mom came from work. He added that he would save money, just to spend it on chocolates, which led him to become overweight.
It was due to that that he took to boxing in order to lose weight and keep fit in the process. However, boxing grew to be not just an exercise to him but it became a passion, and more than ever, he was determined to lose weight.
Okolie revealed that the first thing he did was to cut out late-night eating and reduce the quantity of chocolate he would buy.
3. He Turned Pro in 2017
On January 18, 2017, the Nigerian athlete announced that boxing would no longer be a hobby for him, as he was going pro. He was signed with Eddie Heam and Matchroom Sport to fight in the cruiserweight division.
His first fight was on March 25, 2017, 2 months after his big announcement, in Manchester Arena, Manchester, against Geoffrey Cave. He was the undercard for the Jorge Linares versus Anthony Crolla lightweight.
The fight was stopped by the referee after Okolie landed 2 hooks on Cave’s head.
4. Lawrence Okolie Served as an Undercard for Anthony Joshua
In April 2017, Okolie served as an undercard for the heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko. The fight took place at Wembley Stadium, in London.
Sadly, he didn’t get to participate in the fight. He revealed via his Twitter handle that his lack of participation was due to the fact that the Wembley council had a curfew for 11pm while the main event was slated for 10pm.
The boxer not only has a professional relationship with Anthony Joshua, but they’re also friends. They have been seen together beyond professional situations. The Nigerian boxers are friends and have taken trips together as reflected on Okolie’s Instagram.
5. He is the World Boxing Organization Champion
In December 2020, Okolie faced Nikodem Jezewski of Poland to fight for the WBO cruiserweight title, after his scheduled match with 2-time cruiserweight champion, Krzysztof Glowacki of Poland was canceled. The match was canceled after the Polish boxer tested positive for covid-19.
Okolie won in the second round via technical knockout, winning the vacant WBO International cruiserweight title.
Similarly, he won another match between him and Glowacki via sixth-round knockout. He defended his title against Dilan Parsovic in September 2021 and Michael Cieslak in January 2022. He maintains his title as the WBO International cruiserweight champion.
6. The Pro Boxer has a Doctorate Degree and is Also an Author
Similarly, he was honored with a doctorate degree in Sports by the University of East London. He even changed his Instagram name to Dr. Lawrence Okolie.
Okolie is not only a successful athlete and a Doctor in Sports but is also a published author. The boxer released his first book titled “Dare to Change Your Life” on April 7, 2021, which became a UK bestseller.
In the book, he revealed the mindset that transformed him into a champion.
7. Lawrence Okolie is a Vegan
The Nigerian athlete has revealed in an interview that he is a vegan. He told Sky News that he is on a plant-based diet and not eating fish, meat, eggs, or dairy. Okolie said the diet helps him maintain his desired weight and improves his energy levels.
He added that he eats all the wonderful fruits and vegetables out there including rice, grains, and anything that gives him energy to train, which is not hard for his body to process.
Thankfully, he lives in an area where there are a lot of vegans so most of the food around him is vegan-friendly. He revealed that he would choose a sweet potato instead of a blob of meat on his plate.
Okolie was the first vegan boxer to have won the WBO Cruiserweight World Championship.
8. He was Bullied as a Teenager
The professional boxer revealed in this book that he was bullied as a child up until he was a teenager. Bullying is not a new phenomenon as it is popular among youngsters. He also admitted to having struggled with obesity and low confidence.
He shares these with a throwback picture and motivational quotes for those struggling with low-self esteem or bullying because of one thing or the other.
However, the British-born athlete has overcome and has grown to be one of the most successful boxers in England.
9. The World Champion is Single
Lawrence is currently single. However, he was in a relationship with a certain woman, identified as Ms. Banks. She is an American rapper who has released a couple of songs and was approved by a famous female rapper, Nicki Minaj.
They met at a restaurant in 2017 and were in a relationship 2 years later. However, that ship seems to have sailed as there are no pictures of the British rapper on the boxer’s Instagram, or maybe they have decided to go private.
Ms. Banks may have inspired the boxer’s love for music because he has ventured into entertainment. Lawrence is also a rap artist, in addition to his numerous achievements. He released a song with the accompanying video titled ‘New Racks, New Money’, in May 2021.
See Also: Ilunga Makabu: 7 Unknown Facts About The Boxer
10. Lawrence is Fitness Enthusiast
The Nigerian athlete revealed that he is very passionate about working out. He added that he does full-body workouts rather than working on just one muscle a day.
Lawrence said he does exercises like deadlifts and squats, and he would not want to give too much information about his regiment. However, he noted that the beginning was difficult but now he has gotten used to it and always laughs when he looks back at the early stages.
Okolie revealed that over time, he has become stronger, faster, and able to sustain more damage.
The boxer seems to be determined to retain his title as a WBO International cruiserweight title holder for as long as he can. He has not been deterred by the challenges he has experienced but rather, they have spurred him to want to do better. We wish him all the best in his fast-growing career.
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