While the sold-out Wembley crowd was fixated on the Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois showdown, another heavyweight quietly secured a career-defining win on the co-main event. Lawrence Okolie, the former Olympian making waves in the heavyweight scene just a year after his transition, stepped into the ring against the battle-tested Kevin Lerena, carrying the weight of high expectations on his shoulders.

Despite the unseen pressure, he took control of the bout, cruising to a unanimous decision victory in a fight that lacked fireworks. It was a dominant showing, made even more impressive by the fact that Okolie was not just facing off against Lerena, but also battling through a brutal injury.

A few hours after the event, Queensberry Promotions shared a carousel of Lawrence Okolie’s torn right bicep on Instagram. The post featured three shots of the said bicep from different angles to show the severity of the situation. “@lawrenceokolie suffered an injury very early in his win over @kevinlerena 😬,” the caption read. 

How early the injury occurred, you ask? As it turns out, the incident happened during the first round itself. Though the exact cause remains unclear, the WBC Silver heavyweight champion admirably pushed through, ensuring the injury didn’t derail his performance. His determination underscored why His Excellency selected him and Lerena to co-headline the year’s biggest heavyweight clash.

And despite the heavyweight scene so stacked at the moment, with this shutout victory, ‘The Sauce’ has seized a significant opportunity. An opportunity that can lead him to Oleksandr Usyk pretty soon.

Oleksandr Usyk and the long list of contenders

After knocking out Daniel Dubois in the fifth round, the new undisputed champion revealed that he will go on a short break now. Well, no one can question Oleksandr Usyk’s desire to rest after the last two gruesome years. However, it is not a goodbye, and he will be back. “Nothing, it’s enough. Next, I don’t know. I wanna rest… back in home, my wife, children.. I wanna rest now, maybe 2-3 months, just rest,” he declared when DAZN boxing’s Ade Oladipo posed the burning question.

The 38-year-old even left the fans with a list of opponents he would like to compete against upon his return. “Maybe Tyson Fury,” he said,  before naming Derek Chisora, Joseph Parker, and Anthony Joshua as well. “Maybe, we have 3 options—Derek Chisora, Anthony Joshua. Maybe, Joseph Parker. Listen, I can not now say…. I wanna go back home,” he said.

As we gear up for these epic matchups, the only showdown that really makes sense on the radar is with interim WBO champ Joseph Parker. The Kiwi has been biding his time as the WBO mandatory challenger, and now he’s primed to make his move as Oleksandr Usyk prepares to put his title on the line. Amidst the thrilling action, Lawrence Okolie is ready to throw down and make his presence felt.

The Hackney-born fighter, currently holding the top spot as the #1 WBC contender, is getting ready to step into the ring with Agit Kabayel for that interim title showdown in the coming days. If the 2016 Olympian grabs that belt, he’ll be next in line behind Parker for a title shot. But let’s not beat around the bush, the clock is running out. At 38, Oleksandr Usyk has shown he’s still got what it takes, especially after that standout performance against Daniel Dubois. But let’s face it, his time in the ring isn’t going to last forever. What’s your opinion on this one?