Chris-Billam Smith vs Lawrence Okolie - May 27 // Vitality Stadium

Imagine a CBS knockout win in a fight of the year,

 

I won't be watching this, I don't like Okolie's style and I don't like looking at his face, both are weird.

 

Agree, he does have a weird face.

 

I did like the fact they didn't try to create fake beef, were honest they were mates.

On the undercard I do think Chamberlain has already beat Lawal before they step in the ring.

 

This was my first thought too.

I'm a bit conflicted with this fight and how things have turned out.

On the one hand, this is atrocious, naïve matchmaking by Ben Shalom for so many reasons. He has 3 excellent cruiserweights in Billam-Smith, Okolie and Riakporhe, one of them already a world champion the other 2 more than capable of winning a world title. The logical thing to do would be to either get Okolie to unify, or better yet get one of the other two a world title shot which they more than merit at present, and then he has a potential PPV event, and a big/exciting fight with two British world champions going head to head!

Instead we have a really bizarre and totally illogical match up. The worst possible fight Ben could gave made more or less.

Two friends, and former stablemates fighting each other? Would have been better off with Okolie vs Riakporhe. There is some history there, and some dislike as Riakporhe is close friends with Chamberlain. It's a more intriguing fight. Both are big punchers. Chris Billam Smith should be fighting one of the other world champions in his hometown.

On the other hand...

This current CW division is an embarrassment and one of the best illustrations of all the problems in boxing today. Average, mundane fighters, with nothing setting them apart holding belts hostage and refusing to fight another champion for fear of a loss on their record. It's such a poor, dull, division and when a chance does come up for an interesting fight it falls through due to the usual suspects- greed, politics, self interest and ineptitude.

 

Surely okolie can't be headlining a ppv,if he does this does terrible numbers

 

Egginton vs Pigford on the card aswell apparently.....if that's the case I know which show I'll be watching on the 27th! Egginton always brings a war,shaping into a decent card this

 

Okolie looked abit defeated today in the presser. Didn't wanna predict how he'd win. Seems abit low on confidence, maybe all the stick he's been getting about his style is getting to him.

 

I have wondered if all the pressure etc will eventually lead him to change his style to be more explosive and fan friendly to watch, if their is ever a fight to do it in, this is the one as more eyes than usual will be watching

......hopeful thinking though,more than likely we see another hugging borefest!

 

Yeah I do think it's hard to change his style completely as he's obviously not an exciting fighter to watch. Hopefully he comes out and goes for the KO this time around.

 

And a very peculiar shaped head.

 

Should be a very interesting fight, I really hope CBS knocks him out Okolie is a very unlikeable loathsome scroat with a horrid fighting style.

 

Annoying voice..

 

if he does get KOed he's got his rap career to fall back on