LAWRENCE OKOLIE says he will not let Chris Billam-Smith ruin his ambitions when the two cruiserweights square-off on Saturday night.
Billam-Smith will have home advantage and a crowd of 15,000 at The Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth hoping their man can upset the odds.
“The way Chris fights, he’s always all action,” Okolie told Sky Sports News.
“He comes to throw a lot of punches, put a lot of pressure on where he’s the home fighter, he’s going to have 15,000 people screaming for him, hoping that he can dethrone me
“So I’m going to have to be devastating and he’s going to make it very easy for me.”
The two men are former training and sparring partners so have extensive knowledge of one another, but Okolie, who will have Sugar Hill in his corner, says he has removed himself from their connection.
“I’ve detached myself from the sparring, detached myself from everything that I’ve known of him, and I just expect a brutal, devastating, fit, fast, strong Chris Billam-Smith and it’s up to me to be the best version of myself and dominate.”
The number two and six ranked cruiserweights agreed a deal not long after Okolie 19-0 (14) had dealt with his last opponent David Light on March 25. It was the 30-year-old’s first bout with his new trainer having left Shane McGuigan who will be in the opposite corner on Saturday.
Billam-Smith 17-1 (12) last fought in December against Armend Xhoxhaj. A tricky night’s work at the Bournemouth International Centre was concluded in the fifth round when the Kosovan-born German was put down by a right hook. Afterwards it was rumoured that the Brit would land a big fight this summer with champion Jai Opetaia, Richard Riakporhe and Okolie all in the running.
A win on Saturday for ‘The Gentleman’ would be a damaging loss for Okolie who has plans to move to heavyweight and conquer the land of the giants.
“I’ve got my own ambitions, my own stuff, unifications, moving up to heavyweight,” said Okolie.
“I’ve got someone here who wants to take that away from me and fulfil his own dreams. But unfortunately, none of his dreams are going to be built on my nightmares.
“I’m going to devastate him.”