This isn’t the most anticipated matchup on the card. Both Lawrence Okolie and Kevin Lerena found success as cruiserweights and went on to win world titles at bridgerweight, but now they meet in the heavyweight division.

That alone limits the intrigue. Lerena is still active in a division just below heavyweight, while Okolie claims ambitions of conquering the top tier. Why this fight is happening isn’t entirely clear—unless it’s to keep both men ready as potential replacements should one of the headliners withdraw.

Okolie is a long, rangy puncher who fights like a true big man—coming forward, throwing with power, and looking to land heavy shots. In his heavyweight debut, that approach earned him a first-round stoppage.

Lerena is a much shorter southpaw, giving up 11 cm in height. He works well with combinations and lateral movement, especially stepping outside his opponent’s lead foot to deliver his own power shots. Under pressure, he tends to back to the ropes, not to evade but to set traps for counters.

They’re nearly the same age: Okolie is 32, Lerena is 33. Their records offer similar levels of experience. Both were champions at bridgerweight and made their names at cruiserweight.

The key difference is that Lerena has seen more at heavyweight. He troubled Daniel Dubois, beat Mariusz Wach, and came close to stopping Justis Huni in the final round. That kind of exposure to bigger men could give him an edge—and is something Okolie must be wary of.

Lerena is clearly more active, throwing over 100 more punches per fight than Okolie on average. That makes sense: the smaller man has to work more to control opponents.

Okolie, by contrast, counts on his punching power, not punch volume.

Interestingly, both men are most active in the middle rounds, especially round 7. Lerena tends to maintain output through round 10 before tapering off. Okolie, too, hits his peak mid-fight.

Lerena is coming off a title win over Serhiy Radchenko at bridgerweight just over two months ago. He’ll have momentum—and conditioning—on his side.

Okolie hasn’t fought in seven months and has only boxed one round at heavyweight. How well he’s adapted remains unclear.

Okolie’s power is undeniable. With his size and reach, a clean connection is often enough to end a fight.

But Lerena’s power shouldn’t be overlooked. He hurt Huni and gave Dubois problems. If he can land cleanly, especially on the inside, he may trouble Okolie—if he can close the distance despite a 22 cm reach disadvantage.

Only Dubois has ever stopped Lerena—and even then, it took some doing. But Okolie’s reach, height, and power mean that Lerena can’t afford to soak up damage, at least not for long.

On the other side, Okolie’s chin may also be tested if Lerena finds a way inside. One well-timed left could expose how well Okolie handles real heavyweight counters.

Lerena has boxed in the UK once—and lost to a local fighter. This will be his second attempt on British soil. The crowd, the energy, and the setup will favor Okolie.

The South African will need to be at his best—and likely better than that—to score a win.

This matchup may serve as both a potential substitute for the Usyk–Dubois card and as an intriguing contrast of styles and physiques. Big vs. small. Orthodox vs. southpaw. Power vs. volume

Okolie talks confidently about dominating at heavyweight. A win here isn’t enough—he’ll want to do it emphatically.

Lerena, meanwhile, has less to lose. He can return to bridgerweight, so this bout is a sporting and financial opportunity—not a make-or-break career moment.

Still, the clash could surprise. The ingredients are there.