Okolie to turn professional in cruiserweight division

Initially inspired to take up boxing after watching Anthony Joshua at London 2012, Okolie enjoyed his own Olympic Games moment last summer when he appeared for Team GB in Rio.

The former fast food worker turned boxer lost out to eventual bronze medallist Erislandy Savon and has now decided to turn his back on the amateur ranks.

"I want to be the best cruiserweight that Britain has seen," said Okolie, who is the first member of Great Britain's 2016 Olympic boxing squad to turn professional.

"David Haye has done great things, so has Johnny Nelson and many others, but I want to cement my legacy, have my name go down in history and maybe follow Haye by winning the heavyweight crown too.

"I want to get some excitement going in the division, not just from the fans but also have other cruiserweights training hard and wanting to fight me, because I want to be in great and exciting fights. I want to have six to eight fights in 2017 and I'll be looking to get six to eight knockouts - I mean business."

Sportsbeat 2017