Via Sean Jones: WBO heavyweight champion Lawrence Okolie says he wants to fight Canelo Alvarez, but he doesn’t see the fight going for obvious reasons due to his size and strength.
The 6’5″ Okolie (17-0, 14 KOs) is too big in size and power for a 5’7″ Canelo. He understands why Canelo (57-1-2, 39 KOs) chose to replace the 5’11” WBC champion, Ilunga Makabu.
Boxing fans don’t ask Canelo to jump to the cruiser rank to find an opponent. They would be pleased if he stayed at 168 and faced former WBC super-middleweight champions like David Benavidez, Jermall Charlo, Demetrius Andrade, or Gennadiy Golovkin next.
If Canelo wants to put on weight, fans say he should get to 175 and face off against IBF/WBC light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev, WBA champion Dmitry Bivol or WBO belt holder Joe Smith Jr.
Canelo may have thought he would be applauded when he announced that he would be promoted to cruiser to fight for a world title in his first match, but the reaction was opposite from the fans. .
They see it as a cherry-picking move by 31-year-old Canelo, given he fights arguably the most vulnerable of the cruiser class champions in Makabu (28-2.25 KOs), who was a lowly boxer during his 13-year professional career and one-year reign as a WBC champion.
Canelo is expected to face Makabu next May during Mexico’s holiday weekend at the Cinco de Mayo. Choosing that holiday will ensure that Canelo delivers a good number of views and pay-per-view purchases.
Okolie has too many sizes for Canelo
“I love the fight, but I’m realistic with all messages. Canelo is a great boxer, but there are weight classes with height and reach and power, in my opinion, that’s too much,” said Lawrence Okolie. iFL TV in response to Canelo’s promotion to cruiser to challenge WBC champion Ilunga Makabu for his title.
“We don’t know what he thinks of himself, but Makabu is at most 5’11”, 6’0″, so he [Canelo] selected a lot of achievable wars compared to someone like me can make it so long and awkward and fight him with one hit.
“In my opinion, it wouldn’t make sense. I wouldn’t advise my boxer to hit me,“Okolie said. “I always thought it was very reasonable. I’m not going around screaming and chasing anyone.”
Canelo knows his limitations well, which is why he chose 34-year-old Makabu to fight for his 5th world title over Okolie or IBF cruiser class champion Mairis Briedis.
Makabu: Canelo is crazy
“This is a very good opportunity to fight the best fighter in the world and the planet in Canelo Alvarez,” Makabu told Fight Hub TV. “I could tell he was crazy because he was chosen to fight a dangerous man.”
