Eddie Hearn Legal Action Against BOXXER Over Lawrence Okolie Contract

Promotional Dispute Between Eddie Hearn, BOXXER and Lawrence Okolie Heads to Legal Process over contract dispute

Eddie Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Boxing, remains adamant that WBO World Cruiserweight Champion Lawrence Okolie still has one fight left on his promotional contract, despite disputes from Okolie and his former management team, 258 MGT. The ongoing contractual disagreement has led to legal proceedings, with both sides standing firm in their positions.

Contractual Dispute Over Okolie’s Final Fight

The controversy centers around a fight that Okolie took on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev, which was supposed to be against Krzysztof Glowacki. However, when Glowacki was unable to fight, Okolie instead faced Nikodem Jezewski in an interim bout. Hearn insists that this fight was agreed upon but fell outside the original contract terms.

“He (Okolie) took a fight on the AJ card, he was supposed to fight Glowacki,” Hearn explained on The DAZN Boxing Show. “He ended up having an interim fight (Jezewski), but it was all agreed it was outside of the contract.”

Despite the changes to the opponent, Hearn remains steadfast that Okolie has one more fight left under the Matchroom banner, a claim that Okolie disputes.

Legal Proceedings and Alleged Interference by BOXXER

Hearn confirmed that the dispute over Okolie’s contract has now entered a legal process, with both parties preparing for a potential court battle. “We had a situation with Lawrence Okolie, it’s been well documented,” Hearn said. “He had a fight left under his contract – he disputed that, and it’s going through that legal process now.”

Adding another layer to the situation, Hearn also accused rival promoters BOXXER and Sky Sports of interfering with Okolie while he was still under contract with Matchroom. “People interfered with the contract, and there are legal cases and situations going on there as well,” Hearn said, indicating that further legal action may be forthcoming.

Okolie vs. David Light: A Fight Under New Promotion

Despite the ongoing contractual battle, Okolie is set to defend his WBO cruiserweight title against mandatory challenger David Light on March 11 in London, with the fight being promoted by BOXXER and aired live on Sky Sports. This has added further fuel to the dispute between Matchroom and BOXXER, as it is alleged that BOXXER had attempted to place Okolie on their shows in 2022, but were blocked by Matchroom due to the unresolved contract issues.

A Tense Standoff in the Cruiserweight Division

As the legal wrangling continues, Okolie’s immediate future in the ring is clouded by uncertainty. Whether his next fight will be under the Matchroom banner or BOXXER remains to be seen, but it is clear that both sides are prepared for a drawn-out battle in and outside the courtroom.

For now, fans of Lawrence Okolie will be eagerly awaiting his March 11 showdown against David Light, while the promotional dispute plays out behind the scenes.