Renowned Trainer Joe Gallagher Guides Okolie’s Bid for Two-Weight World Title
In the world of British boxing, trainer Joe Gallagher has been instrumental in the success of several top fighters over the past two decades. Legends like Callum Smith, Liam Smith, Anthony Crolla, and Scott Quigg have all achieved world title glory under Gallagher’s tutelage. More recently, the veteran coach played a crucial role in Natasha Jonas’ transformation into a two-weight world champion at the age of 40.
Now, Gallagher has turned his attention to guiding former cruiserweight world titleholder Lawrence Okolie (19-1, 14 KOs) in his quest to conquer another weight class. Okolie, a former Olympian, parted ways with SugarHill Steward after his sole career defeat against Chris Billam-Smith (19-1, 13 KOs) last May in Bournemouth.
Next month, Okolie will return to the ring in Poland, where he will challenge bridgerweight titleholder Lukasz Rozanski (15-0, 14 KOs) in a bid to become a two-weight world champion. Rozanski, a hard-hitting fighter, boasts impressive wins against the likes of Izuagbe Ugonoh, Artur Szpilka, and most recently, Alen Babic.
One of the main areas Gallagher has been working on with Okolie is his tendency to hold during fights, which has cost him points in his previous two outings against Billam-Smith and David Light. Gallagher likened Okolie’s propensity to hold to the habit of a smoker, stating,
“It is a habit – just like smoking or having a twitch. It’s a habit. We have looked at it [together] and the reasons why he is doing it. We are now at the point where we know why he is doing it, and now in sparring he is not doing it.”
With Gallagher’s expertise and Okolie’s determination, boxing fans can look forward to an intriguing clash between the former cruiserweight champion and the bridgerweight titleholder, as the Brit seeks to make history by becoming a two-weight world champion.
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