Lawrence Okolie is in talks to fight two-time world heavyweight title challenger Luis “King Kong” Ortiz. The former WBO lightweight champion (21-1, 16 KOs) is slowly adapting to the heavyweight division.

The Cuban Ortiz (34-3, 29 KOs) will turn 46 on March 29, but he remains dangerous due to his strength, size and technical ability. His ring IQ and athleticism are both above those of the 6-foot-5 Okolie. If Ortiz hits the incongruous “Sauce” Okolie, he could knock him out and ruin his heavyweight ambitions.

Okolie vs. Ortiz fight underway

Okolie’s two heavyweight bouts come against Hussein Muhammad and Lukas Rozanski. Both men were terrible and useless at actually grooming Okolie to help him push for a world title shot. However, if your idea is to feed Okolie canned tomatoes and make him look invincible, then pitting him against these types of fighters is the way to go.

In Lawrence’s last lightweight bout, he was defeated by Chris Billim-Smith on May 27, 2023, losing a 12-round majority decision. That fight left an ominous impression on Okolie that his time as “champion” had come. Lightweight. Okolie won’t get along well with the talented new crop of fighters in Jay Opetaia and David Nyka. So he moved up to heavyweight to reinvent himself.

On January 13 last year, Ortiz defeated Francisco Cordero in Colombia in a first-round knockout. “King Kong” Ortiz has been idle for two years after losing a 12-round unanimous decision to the former world champion. Andy Ruiz September 14, 2022.

Ortiz gave Ruiz a hell of a beating in that fight, hitting the stocky 268-pounder frequently. The Cuban would have won had Ruiz not knocked out Luis in the second and seventh rounds. In Ortiz’s last fight on January 1, 2022, he knocked out former heavyweight champion Charles Martin in the sixth round.

Former lightweight champion Lawrence Okolie, who is currently competing at heavyweight, is in talks to fight Luis Ortiz in the UK, a source told ESPN. Ortiz, 45, returned last January for a fight to shake off the rust. This is his first fight since losing to Andy Ruiz in 2022.

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) January 20, 2025