Okolie at Significant Odds with Matchroom Amid David Light Negotiations
The bad blood with Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn and WBO cruiserweight champion Lawrence “The Sauce” Okolie (18-014KO) has reached a new level. The conflict has now engulfed even the WBO, who have responded by ordering immediate purse bids for Okolie versus WBO International title holder David “The Great White” Light (20-0, 12KO).
RELATED: WBO Orders David Light Next For Okolie Amid Promoter Conflict
Okolie kicked it all off with three since-deleted tweets comparing the British promoter to a slave owner. Feeling sideswiped by all this, Hearn relayed to the public that the WBO champion had one more contractual fight to fulfill. This implied the fight with Light would complete their business. However, the WBO ordered an immediate purse bid due to miscommunication on the part of Matchroom Boxing and a representative of Team Okolie.
“Considering the conflictive circumstances between the parties and the lack of communication going forward during the negotiation proceedings. This Committee strongly believes that purse bid proceedings shall be ordered immediately.”
WILL OKOLIE VACATE THE TITLE?
The purse bid will take place at the WBO main offices in Puerto Rico on December 14. Now, keep in mind, Team Okolie could skip out on participating in the purse bid, or Okolie could vacate the title, provided Matchroom Boxing wins the rights to the fight.
3Kings Boxing will continue to monitor this situation as things are getting uglier by the day.
By: Garrisson Bland
