Newly crowned heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley called out by two-weight world champion for 2026 fight

Former cruiserweight and bridgerweight world champion Lawrence Okolie believes newly crowned WBO champion Fabio Wardley is the man he needs to face in his quest to become a world champion. 

After beating Kevin Lerena on the Usyk vs. Dubois undercard in July, Okolie will close out the year on December 19 in Nigeria where he will headline an event in Nigeria against an unconfirmed opponent. 

Despite having just two fights at heavyweight, Okolie is highly ranked with the WBC and the WBO, and the former Olympian is hoping he can push for a world title next year if all goes well in December. 

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The world heavyweight title picture became a little clearer on Monday following the news that Oleksandr Usyk vacated his WBO title resulting in the interim champion Wardley becoming the sanctioning body's new titleholder. 

While his number one ranking with the WBC means Okolie could be pushed towards a meeting with hard-hitting German Agit Kabayel, Wardley seems to be the man 'The Sauce' would prefer to face. 

"I think that there's two main routes. I think the most direct one is obviously Fabio, because he's a world champion now, but obviously there have been no negotiations, nothing like that, it happened yesterday," Okolie said.

"It's a fight that we've spoken about behind the scenes, but I do want that one, I think out of the world champions, which is Usyk and Fabio, I think Fabio is a much easier fight than Usyk would be.

"I've been offered loads of great names. It hasn't been reciprocated in terms of the opponents, but I do believe next year we're going to get a crack at Fabio Wardley."

Fabio Wardley vs. Lawrence Okolie - Who wins? 

Matt Astbury, DAZN News Sportswriter

If Fabio Wardley and Lawrence Okolie do meet for the former's WBO heavyweight title, it will be a clash of styles. 

Wardley's all-action approach will be going up against Okolie's rather boring style inside the ring. 

Okolie has a superior four-inch reach and there is no doubt he will try and use this to his advantage as he keeps Wardley at a safe distance to avoid his explosive knockout punches. 

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However, Wardley has shown in the past against those with superior boxing ability such as Justis Huni and Joseph Parker, that it only counts for so much as he eventually gets himself within range to detonate his shots. 

When it comes to making a prediction, I could see another late Wardley stoppage. Okolie would have early success, keeping Wardley at bay, but I would expect the Ipswich man to continue walking down his opponent and eventually unload on Okolie, who struggles when under intense pressure. 

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