Lawrence Okolie defends WBO world cruiserweight title but tough David Light goes the distance | Boxing News

Gritty challenger David Light had to endure some punishing power punches to go the distance with Lawrence Okolie.

But Hackney’s WBO cruiserweight world champion Okolie was a dominant victor over 12 rounds.

He took a unanimous decision victory and ultimately manhandled Light, hurting him in the late rounds of the fight but never dropping him.

WBO cruiser champion Okolie was returning to action after more than a year out of the ring with a new trainer in his corner, SugarHill Steward.

He was eager to serve a warning to domestic rivals, the other champions in his division and even of his own potential to move up to heavyweight.

In David, though he had a mandatory challenger who not only earned this opportunity but who had long targeted Okolie and his belt, preparing specifically for his chance to topple the Londoner and become a champion.

Light had no choice but to try to burrow forward and get up close to the taller Okolie on the inside. They grappled in clinches at times.

Okolie did look to hit. The right hand flew down and Light stepped back from it just in time.

His jab pawed at Light but then all of sudden Okolie’s right would flash over targeting the head but then, after the next jab, thud heavily into the body.

Moments of success for the New Zealander were only fleeting. Nevertheless with cussed determination Light carried on pushing himself forward, slugging his right hook into the side of his head and working to disrupt the champion when he could.

But at the end of the 10th round, Okolie slammed huge hooks in a punishing salvo into Light.

In the next round, after being deducted a point for holding, Okolie hit back once again and badly shook up Light.

But the challenger was tough enough to endure and took Okolie to the cards, where the Londoner won by scores of 116-112, 119-108 and 117-110.

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