England-based Nigerian-born heavyweight boxer, Lawrence Okolie disclosed that he was happy with his victory over Ghana’s Emmanuel Tetteh on Sunday, then quickly turned his attention towards winning the world title in 2026.
READ ALSO: AFCON 2025: Nigerian Music Icon Patoranking Declares – ‘Super Eagles Can Win It’
Sports247 reports that Okolie took just two rounds to send Tetteh packing in the roped square at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos, but insisted afterwards that it was not a stroll in the park for him.
He further thanked Tetteh and the fight promoters for giving him an opportunity to test his current form and learn some lessons ahead of his espied World Boxing Organisation (WBO) title fight with Fabio Wardley.
Okolie boasted that he will win the bekt in 2026, but the former unified world cruiserweight champ will first take a mandatory fight with fellow-Nigerian-Brit, Moses Itauma in a WBC title eliminator.
Before then, though, Itauma also has to overcome Jermaine Franklin in January and then prepare for the all-Britain clash with Okolie at a date and venue yet to be decided.
The 33-year-old Okolie further hinted that the fight with Itauma, who is 13 years his junior, is a final eliminator that could also be staged in Nigeria, where their parents hail from.
“I’m wishing Moses Itauma good luck in his fight against (Jermaine) Franklin. After that, we have been mandated to box an eliminator for the world title.
“Two Nigerians getting it on, its going to be amazing. We are already in discussions. Obviously, Moses has to finish his fight well, and then it’s there
“That’s the position I’m used to being in, champion of the world. In 2026, I’m guaranteeing it,” Okolie concluded with affirmation.
