Lawrence Okolie will fight Chris Billam-Smith on May 27 for WBO cruiserweight world title live on Sky Sports | Boxing News

World champion Lawrence Okolie is to fight Chris Billam-Smith on May 27 on the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, live on Sky Sports; watch a live stream of the primary Okolie-Billam-Smith press convention from 12.20pm right this moment

Okolie is the WBO cruiserweight champion and will step into enemy territory to place his world title on the road in former coaching accomplice Billam-Smith’s house city.

The pair skilled collectively at Shane McGuigan’s health club, and Okolie is now working beneath new coach SugarHill Steward, making a fight with the highly-rated Billam-Smith doable.

Billam-Smith had beforehand confirmed he could be combating on the Vitality Stadium in late May and has now vowed to change into a world champion on house turf.

“Fighting someone I know very well for a world title is a very exciting opportunity, he said. “I’m elated to be combating on the house of my beloved AFC Bournemouth in entrance of my phenomenal followers. On May 27 I will repay them by profitable a world title”

Okolie final defended his title when he dominated obligatory challenger David Light in Manchester final month. With little time to get well, he will must go straight again into coaching camp, but it surely’s a problem the cruiserweight champion welcomed.

“I’m pumped, I’m ready to go,” he stated. “I’ve simply come off a profitable defence the place I received all 12 rounds in opposition to an unknown however powerful competitor, a nationwide champion in his homeland.

“Now weeks later I am going in against a known tough boxer, a top 10 ranked boxer, former European champion and current Commonwealth champion Chris Billam-Smith.

“Not many fighters make again to again defences in such a brief house of time. Not many choose the toughest fights out there to them, however that is what I’m about.

“Chris, I love you, but I have to get the KO in this one.”

BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom stated: “I’m not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that this is going to be one of the best events of the year. If you were lucky enough to get a ticket for the previous Bournemouth events, you’ll know the fans and the atmosphere are off the charts.

“For Chris Billam-Smith this can be a dream come true. To fight for the world title in his hometown, in his soccer workforce’s stadium, in entrance of a sold-out crowd cheering him on…it is the stuff goals are product of.

“But Lawrence Okolie is a fighting champion. He had no hesitation in taking the fight in Bournemouth. He’s ice cold. He is undefeated. And he’s certainly not bothered about the crowd being against him. In fact that just sweetens the deal for him.

“With a stacked card, this will be the occasion to kick-off an unimaginable summer season for British boxing.”

Billam-Smith has quick acquired a status for being one of the crucial thrilling fighters in Britain. He has received British, Commonwealth and European cruiserweight titles. With an impassioned crowd in Bournemouth roaring him on, in 2022 he beat Isaac Chamberlain in a Fight of the Year contender and levelled Armend Xhoxhaj to report a spectacular knockout win.

That set him up for a world title problem and when Okolie, taking scarcely any time to get well from his final fight, got here with the provide of a “dream night” in his hometown, Billam-Smith didn’t hesitate.

“Let’s do this,” Billam-Smith declared as quickly as he noticed Okolie’s callout.

Okolie is a giant cruiserweight, a heavy-handed puncher with lengthy attain. In his final fight in opposition to Light he confirmed simply how tough he could be for any cruiserweight to beat.

But Billam-Smith has demonstrated in his profession how efficient he could be when attacking opponents on the within and, in coach McGuigan, has in his nook arguably the person most certified to plot a plan to defeat Okolie.

The May 27 undercard will additionally see Chamberlain problem unbeaten Mikael Lawal for the British cruiserweight title.