Boxing

Billam-Smith talks tactics, Sugar Hill discusses Okolie’s punch power ahead of big fight

THE power of Lawrence Okolie might decide the possibilities of Chris Billam-Smith of their fight on Saturday evening and CBS is aware of precisely what techniques to make use of.

“The game plan throughout the whole fight for all 12 rounds has got to be don’t get hit clean. So, the concentration levels [have] got to be high,” Billam-Smith advised Boxing News throughout a latest sit-down interview.

Easier stated than achieved. Okolie carries crushing punch power when his method comes collectively. The 19 fights in his profession have ended inside the gap 14 occasions. In his final two fights, nevertheless, Okolie has gone a full 24 rounds with Michael Cieslak and David Light. The explosiveness was lacking.

“A lot of people with Lawrence walk him down, put the pressure on,” stated Billam-Smith who sparred lots of of rounds with Okolie throughout their time coaching collectively beneath Shane McGuigan.

“There’s a lot of a lot of facets to it, I think, of the way you’ve got to approach it. I’ve obviously got the experience being in there and the experience of his former coach in Shane knowing how to do certain things. I think the game plan against Lawrence is don’t get hit because then he starts sapping you, whether that’s his holding, but the punches will sap you as well.”

Okolie left Shane McGuigan to workforce up with Sugar Hill, who additionally trains Tyson Fury and Ben Whittaker.

Hill’s first fight with Okolie got here towards Light in April. The British cruiserweight got here in for an avalanche of criticism from all corners of the game following his efficiency. It had been anticipated that Okolie’s power would have been one of many benefits that the 30-year-old would have used to show Light’s possibilities off.

Okolie and Hill may have their second fight collectively

“He’s got more power actually when he’s not trying. When he does try it really ain’t that hard,” Hill admitted to BN.

“So, the article is simply to maintain him free and free and he’s gonna punch more durable than ever. Quite a bit of occasions it’s the punch that you just don’t see and people are those that catch you and harm you.

“He’s physically strong though. When he tries to throw the hard punches, they don’t come off as hard as he thought they were going to be. I feel that on the mitts and that’s partially why I do give pad work because I want to make sure that I’m able to feel the punches as if I was the opponent. So, if I’m feeling it really hard through the mitts and I know that it’s really hard on somebody else.”

For Okolie he is aware of higher than anybody how laborious he can hit. He has seen the faces of these when he connects. He additionally admits that the primary factor is to win and as a lot as he desires to be an entertaining fighter all that issues is victory. Criticism is simply noise to Okolie.

“The only reason why we’re here now because I’ve kept winning,” Okolie commented when BN spoke to him on Friday.

“However, each fight calls for a different thing. I’m excited for Saturday. I’d like to see what this fight calls for. I’m gonna demonstrate.”


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