Boxing: Okolie retains world title with points
Lawrence Okolie held on to his WBO cruiserweight world title after winning a hugging match with Polish limpet Michal Chieslak.
With A-lister pals Anthony Joshua and UFC icon Israel Adasenya walking him to the ring, fans hoped for a Hollywood showing from the 29-year-old Hackney ace.
But – after Cieslak was pinged by the first serious punch of the O2 bout, slashing a wound into his left cheek – he spent the next 11 rounds grabbing and wrestling to a unanimous decision loss.
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After Chieslak was dropped in the fifth, he judges called it: 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112.
Lawrence Okolie walks into the ring accompanied by heavyweight superstar Anthony Joshua and UFC champ Israel Adesanya.
Adesanya held up a Nigerian flag while AJ had Okolie’s WBO belt in the air.
IBF cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis is here working as a pundit for DAZN… dressed as Super Mario.
Bredis is a great champion in his own right but is beginning to take a weird turn.
Main event time as Lawrence Okolie defends his WBO cruiserweight title against Michal Cieslak.
The Pole has only lost once in 23 fights, against WBC champion Ilunga Makabu.
Okolie is dreaming of unification bouts, but first has to get Cieslak out of the way.