The former teammate of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury has vacated his world title belt and can now challenge the former champion.
31-year-old Lawrence Okolie has made a daring move to move up a weight class to the heavyweight division.
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However, he is nothing new to fighting some of the best players the division has to offer.
Okolie spent several years with two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic silver medalist Joshua when they were in the Team GB set-up.
He was also a sparring partner in the USA for Gypsy King before his first fight with Deontay Wilder in 2018.
Most recently, he was in the ring against Daniel Dubois, who successfully defended his IBF heavyweight title after KOing AJ last month.
But Okolie, originally from Hackney, East London, has decided that he envisions his success in the heavyweight titles.
Souse is already a two-weight boxing champion, having claimed the WBO cruiserweight and WBC cruiserweight crowns.
Watch Cruiserweight Champion Jay Opetia land 44 punches to the stomach in brutal training routine ahead of Jack Massey fightHe was ordered to defend his bridgerweight title against Kevin Llerena, but he vacated that belt to become a three-weight champion.
A statement from the WBC confirmed the move, saying: “The WBC has received official confirmation from bridgerweight champion Lawrence Okolie that he has decided to vacate his world bridgerweight championship to pursue his dream of becoming heavyweight champion.
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“As a result interim champion Kevin Llerena is confirmed as WBC world bridgerweight champion.”
Okolie said: “First of all I would like to say how proud and happy I am to compete for and win the WBC bridgerweight belt.
“After much consideration, it is with a heavy heart that I unfortunately have to relinquish the WBC bridgerweight belt while respectfully requesting a move into the top five in the heavyweight division.”
The Briton’s heavyweight debut has not yet been confirmed.
If he wins the heavyweight belt he would be the first three-weight champion to include the heavyweight division since Roy Jones Jr. – who held titles in four divisions in 2003.
The famous Bob Fitzsimmons was the first to accomplish the feat with the heavyweight division in 1903 – middleweight, heavyweight and light heavyweight were all claimed.
As for his chances, Okolie previously said he would bet on Usyk – himself a two-weight champion.
He told iFL TV: “I like it, I feel like everyone has taken their shot (at Usyk) and I want to go and test it.
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“It may seem crazy to other people and I look at him and he’s sensational and very talented, but he has qualities that I haven’t had to box against for a long time, including speed and things like that. “
Okolie has 20 wins on his record – 15 by knockout – and a loss to Chris Billum-Smith in May 2023 cost him the WBO cruiserweight title.
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