Lawrence Okolie Talks Jake vs Joshua: "People Are Going To Be Shocked" [Exclusive]

Former world champion Lawrence Okolie (22-1, 16 KOs) is all set to face Ghanaian boxer Ebenezer Tetteh (23-3, 20 KOs) in his African debut. Okolie will headline Chaos in the Ring II in Lagos, Nigeria.

In preparation for this fight, he's sparred with Jake Anderson and the Blonde Bomber himself – Jake Paul (12-1, 7 KOs).

Okolie was told not to hold back in those sparring sessions, and he didn’t hold back with KO On SI when he sat down to break down that fight and offer his thoughts on Jake Paul’s chances against a former two-time heavyweight champion.

Jake Paul Will Shock People, Says Former World Champion

“He was a lot better than I thought. I think he has a very good boxing brain," Okolie said while also praising Paul for “his application and his grit” when using his skills. Okolie is very familiar with Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) as well. The two are both English fighters of Nigerian heritage and previous sparring partners.

“He is going to look great; people are going to be shocked. If it goes how the sparring went, people are going to think AJ was paid off.”

Unanswered Questions Ahead Of Friday's AJ vs. Jake Paul Event

The key will be the early temp of the fight, Okolie said. Anthony Joshua tends to overcomplicate and overthink things. Will he be able to simplify the problem in front of him and use his superior size effectively?

The great footwork he showed in his rematch with former undisputed champion Oleksander Usyk has disappeared in his past fights. Can Joshua find his legs again in Miami? Can he cut off the ring and trap Jake Paul? Does Jake Paul have the confidence to take the fight to a washed Anthony Joshua?

Eddie Hearn is still hopeful of seeing Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury — na | IMAGO / PA Images

“[This fight] depends on the first two to three rounds and the approach [Jake Paul] takes. I think people are going to be very shocked.”

Okolie cautioned that there is a significant difference between how a boxer performs in sparring and how he looks in the ring during fights. Paul has improved a lot since his boxing debut and continues to improve. While Joshua is about done with boxing, barring a money fight against Tyson Fury (a fight in which he may have more than a puncher’s chance).

The tide and the crowd will be in Paul’s favor on Friday, and Joshua will be chasing the ghosts of his U.S. debut in Madison Square Garden when he was stopped by Anthony Ruiz in 2018 and lost his world titles.

Okolie is close to his own world title shot and takes a step closer with Chaos In The Ring II. The fight card will take place on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at the Detty December Festival Grounds and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.

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