Gaining legs this. Although I can’t take to Okolie I do feel his size and power will cause a lot of people problems. Eddie seems to be pushing this on him a bit early, wonder if he got fed up after the **** he served up for British beef and the Askin fight. This content is protected
I think he should take it. Lebedev is there for the taking. I’ve grown to like Okolie, he’s always going to be abit messy if he can’t blast you out quickly, but it is what it is.
Lebedev would be nearly 40 at the time of fighting. It’s a great opportunity to become a world champion and even if not you can go away and learn from it. Okolie will gain a lot of respect from me and many others if he takes it, win or lose.
You know I would not put it past Okolie to stink it up enough to win a decision or eventually chin Lebedev after being frustrated for being in the clinch for 90% of the fight.
If he takes it he wins I think at this stage... Problem then is he can't step down in class from there and may find further problems against the elite fighters..
Seems an age since Lebedev KO’d Enzo...feels like entire careers have come and gone since...got to be worth the gamble with his age.
Thing is if Okolie beats Lebedev, barring maybe a domestic voluntary straight after, he has to stay at world level and mix it with the guys involved in the first and second WBSS tournaments. I think it’s a bit too soon. I also think Lebedev beats him for what it’s worth.
He should definitely take this fight because Lebedev is nearly 40, and hasn’t been fighting at any kind of level for 2.5 years since he was beaten by Gassiev. Even if Lebedev is on some nutritious protein shakes, he is going to struggle against someone as rangy and tall as Okolie. It’s also a good test for Okolie and fortune favours the brave. Looking at the CW division it isn’t going to get any easier by staying at British level for another 1-2 years.
He’s an eyesore to watch but he carries legitimate knockout power. I don’t know how he gets down to cruiserweight because he looks huge on fight night. I think he should take the fight.
Take this, too much youth, desire and strength for Leb at this point. Once you have the belt and a bit of popularity you can pick and choose and squirm to avoid killers, once a proper test is made mando for him he can be a couple of years down the line and ready to really test himself against the elite cruisers.
For Okolie, it's a fight he could win and one he could lose. I think he should take it. A great scalp if he wins, and no shame if he loses. Worth the gamble.
I think this fight is happening and all the agonising over whether to take it or not or it being too soon is part of the pantomime. They trailed it quite extensively after Okolie's win at the weekend and Hearn was giving it the 'it's too soon but I think he should take it' - so whilst its possible Team Okolie are still pondering, I'm predicting this is in the works and they've calculated that Lebedev, tough old mofo that he is, is now firmly on the out lap. The only problem they have then is that Okolie is genuinely raw and may be a target for the up and comers. I think Andy Lee was the only one to make that point from memory.
Lebedev is there for the taking. He's had a great career but it's over for him now. Okolie is still way beyond the top guys in the division, the WBSS lot would eat him alive, at this point in time. I can't get that Askin fight out of my head, so bad it was.
