Okolie vs Cieslak LIVE: Fight stream, latest updates and result tonight
Okolie secured a unanimous-decision victory over his Polish opponent in front of a hometown crowd in London, though Cieslak had the majority of the support
Lawrence Okolie retained his WBO cruiserweight title against Michal Cieslak on Saturday night, outpointing the Pole in a scrappy affair.
Okolie was the hometown fighter in London’s O2 Arena, but it was his challenger who had the greater support throughout the main-event contest, which marked the Briton’s second defence of the belt. Okolie (18-0, 14 knockouts) remained unbeaten with the victory, which was hard fought and failed to see the 29-year-old operate at his highest level. The former Team GB Olympian struggled to time his right hand throughout the fight, while Cieslak (21-2, 15 KOs) frequently held the champion and looked to make it a messy contest. Ultimately, however, Okolie established a lead and made it to the final bell without that advantage having come under any real threat.
As such, it was little surprise when the judges’ scorecards were all revealed to favour Okolie – 117-110, 116-111, 115-112 – though the third flattered Cieslak.
On the undercard, Galal Yafai enjoyed a successful professional debut after winning gold for Britain at last summer’s Olympics in Tokyo. Also in action was Cambpell Hatton, son of British boxing icon Ricky Hatton. who secured a stoppage win to match Yafai’s. Re-live all the action from Okolie vs Cieslak and the evening’s undercard fights, below.
Okolie vs Cieslak
Fowler vs Maciec – Round 6
We’re past the midway point now, and again Fowler has Maciec against the ropes.
The Pole is wincing and breathing heavily as he’s backed into the corner.
Maciec finds space, but Fowler is turning the screw.
The Briton is fighting well behind his jab and now lands a heavy left hook to the body, followed by a sharp right straight up top! Lovely stuff.
Okolie vs Cieslak
Fowler vs Maciec – Round 5
Yet another overhand right lands for Maciec. Again Fowler seems unfazed, but these will surely either add up in terms of damage or at least on the judges’ scorecards.
The Briton manages to back up Maciec against the ropes and fire off a mixture of straight and wide shots to the body.
Fowler isn’t in particularly close, but Maciec stays against the ropes anyway.
Gradually, tiredness seems to be showing in Maciec, who doesn’t look to be taking punches quite so well now... Fowler gets some good right straights in.
Okolie vs Cieslak
Fowler vs Maciec – Round 4
Maciec lands with an overhand right and a short right hook, though Fowler connects with a lead uppercut between those shots.
Fowler bounces around. He goes to the body with a hook.
Maciec looks a little wobbly and tired but is coming forward like a zombie.
Okolie vs Cieslak
Fowler vs Maciec – Round 3
Good head movement from Fowler, before he lands some impressive uppercuts and hooks – punching down to connect with the head of his ducking, forward-moving opponent.
Maciec looks a little less stable on his feet now.
Fowler lands a couple of one-twos but also eats some big overhand rights from Maciec!
The Briton takes them well but must be careful about getting into a slugfest here...
Okolie vs Cieslak
Fowler vs Maciec – Round 2
Fowler’s team encourage him to keep making use of his lead (left) hand.
The Briton indeed flicks out a number of jabs, though he’s not gauging range as well as he might...
A couple of decent overhand rights just about land for Maciec, then the pair clinch.
The Pole comes forward after the opponents separate, ducking low and throwing shots over the top.
He appears to eat a strong uppercut from Fowler, though!
Okolie vs Cieslak
Fowler vs Maciec – Round 1
Good reaction for Fowler as the introductions are carried out in London. A smattering of boos for Maciec.
Fowler with quick jabs and left hooks. He looks much tighter than his opponent, who is winging his shots a bit.
Fowler is keeping his lead hand low between these punches. His chin is hanging out there a little...
He’s nicely mixing up his attacks between the head and body, however.
Okolie vs Cieslak
Next up, Anthony Fowler (15-2, 12 KOs) looks to bounce back from a loss to fellow Briton Liam Smith.
Fowler returns to his preferred division – middleweight – to face Poland’s Lukasz Maciec (27-3, 5 KOs).
Okolie vs Cieslak
Eddie Hearn just told DAZN that last night’s main-event scoring was some of the “worst I’ve ever seen”.
Former cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew follows that by saying the scorecards were a “joke”.
Here are the stats and scores from Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall, while we wait for the next fight to begin at the O2 Arena:
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall official scorecards and punch stats revealed
The Scot held onto his belts after a highly-disputed decision in Glasgow
Okolie vs Cieslak
In light of the controversial nature of Josh Taylor’s split-decision win against Jack Catterall, Steve Bunce analysed the scoring.
“If the verdict could be simply explained as the result of corruption, incompetence or senility – the trio of reasons that men and women have been suspended in recent years – it would be nice. However, I know it is not that simple.
“Make no mistake, the wrong man won. At the end, the scorecards were a moveable feast, but the numbers seldom lie and what seemed like a shocking verdict was, with a little bit of sensible analysis, a very close affair. All those screaming and howling about fixed fights, brown envelopes and corruption need to take a little look at the way the fight was scored.
“For the record, I had Catterall a winner by seven rounds to five, but even that simple tally fails to take into account the intricacies of a scoring system which is now under scrutiny. Sadly, many of those – both in the business and outside – placing the system in the dock have no idea how the damned thing works.”
Full article here:
Outrageous reaction to Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall demands balance and sane answers
A distraught challenger was seen storming back to the dressing room after the controversial decision reached by two of the three judges ringside in Glasgow
Okolie vs Cieslak
Okolie vs Cieslak is the second big fight this weekend.
Here’s a recap of last night’s main event in Glasgow, where Scotland’s Josh Taylor retained his super-lightweight belts with a controversial decision victory over England’s Jack Catterall.
Full report:
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