David Light is used to being written off. But that doesn’t shake the cruiserweight contender’s own faith that he can dethrone WBO world champion Lawrence Okolie.
The New Zealander takes on Okolie at the AO Arena in Manchester this Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Light is unbeaten, but so is Okolie and the Briton is a tall, heavy-punching fighter and now an established champion.
“I meet people and I have to explain to them and like really convince them that I’m a professional boxer, they just don’t think that that’s what I am,” Light laughed.
“People are always writing me off. Something that I’ve really started to enjoy is proving people wrong.”
It’s Light’s nature to be laidback. He is the youngest of eight siblings.
“I grew up with much older brothers,” he explained. “My eldest brother was nine years older than me.
“They liked keeping us in our place. Having a fit of rage never went down well for me, or talking tough and being that kind of way.
“It also explains why I am a bit more tough and I went down this road that I’ve done.”
He triumphed against the odds the last time he boxed when he beat America’s Brandon Glanton in Florida.
“It was the same thing. I came in as the underdog,” he said. “I was really the underdog.
“Real credit to the judging of the WBO, they saw it the way I thought it was and gave me the win. I was really stoked for that.”
Although Light is relatively unknown in the UK, he’s been gunning for Okolie for a long time now.
“We’ve had our eye on Okolie for a few years,” Light said. “We knew this was happening and we’ve been preparing for it for a few years now.
“I’ve known that this is what it was going to be.”
Okolie puts his WBO title on the line against David Light on Saturday
The champion does have impressive attributes but Light cautions: “He’s got bits that he can be exploited too.
“He’s obviously got a massive right hand, he’s got the height and he uses his height. He can avoid danger in that way.”
But he warns Okolie against overlooking him as a challenger. “I don’t think he’s underestimating me at all. I don’t think he’s naïve,” Light said.
“I expect him to be at his best. I think that we’ve done what we’ve needed to do to exploit the weaknesses that we can see.
“My sparring’s been awesome and I’ve had really good guys who have been able to emulate Okolie really well.
“Any tall guy you’re going to have to deal with those things and try and get away from his jab and move your head and get in close and when you’re close make sure that you really making the most of it. Those are the things that we’ve been working on with big guys.”
Okolie is a fighter who talks with masterful confidence. But Light said: “Talk’s cheap.
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“I just find that when people talk a big game the No 1 person they’re trying to convince is themselves,” he continued.
“But when you get in the ring and let your hands do the talking then it’s usually a different story.
“I just let it all be like water off a duck’s back until we’re in the ring and let that be the final statement.”
Watch Lawrence Okolie vs David Light on Saturday, live on Sky Sports
