Alen Babic Warns Lawrence Okolie to Bring His Best Against Lukasz Rozanski

Alen Babic has warned former cruiserweight titleholder Lawrence Okolie of over-engaging with Lukasz Rozanski on Saturday night.

Okolie (19-1, 14 KOs) will challenge Rozanski (15-0, 14 KOs) in Rzeszow, Poland, for a title in the bridgerweight division – a weight class situated between heavy and cruiser that is very much in its infancy. The British former Olympian will return for the first time following his defeat to Chris Billam-Smith in May 2023, when Okolie was relieved of his world 200-pound belt.

Last April, Poland’s Rozanski defeated Babic (12-1, 11 KOs) inside one round in clinical yet brutal fashion. Okolie has used Babic as a sparring partner to prepare for facing Rozanski.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Babic warned Okolie about what to expect when he steps into the ring Saturday. “Rozanski does create a storm,” Babic said. “[Rozanski] can’t outbox Lawrence Okolie, for sure. He’s a bit older and at the end of his career, so he knows all of it.

“That’s why I said to Lawrence, ‘Don’t get into his fight. He’s going to run at you.’ He’s going to literally run across the ring for Okolie.”

After spending time with Okolie, Babic believes that the fight’s challenger does have the tools needed to beat Rozanski. Yet he has bad habits that might cost him dearly, too.

“The right hand of Okolie might as well be the deciding factor of this fight,” claimed Babic. “His [Okolie] right hand is lethal – very lethal. And the uppercut. He has everything he needs for Rozanski. Let’s just put it like that.

“[Okolie] is bigger than me. He is twice the size of Rozanski. He is big. He is strong. He can take a punch. He can give a punch. But also, he can get distracted.

“[Okolie] had some moments in his career where he also was like I was against Rozanski. Just like Okolie is not there? I know him at his best sparring day. I can’t touch him. I know him on his worst sparring day. I can do whatever I want. So it doesn’t really depend on Rozanski. It depends on which Okolie is going to show up.”