In the unlikely event of Lawrence Okolie’s team doing a deal with Golden Gloves in the week to come, a purse offer will take place next Tuesday to determine who will promote the WBC bridgerweight champion’s mandated defence against Kevin Lerena, the interim champion.
Okolie’s management have been as quiet as church mice, their silence suggesting they may have designs on other avenues for the newly-crowned campion.
One of these might be a shift to heavyweight, in which case Lerena will assume full champion status.
“I’ve tried constantly to come to terms with his team, but there’s no response,” said a peeved Rodney Berman, who promotes Lerena. “We’ll be prepared for a purse bid, and hopefully win it.”
Whatever pans out, Golden Gloves has earmarked November 30 for a major event at Emperors Palace.
Whether that may include Lerena possibly challenging the heavy-handed Briton, or making a maiden defence, the picture should become clearer in the next week.
Lerena still has currency against the big men, whether at heavyweight or bridgerweight, and remains a big ticket seller locally.
Reflecting on Roarke Knapp’s shattering defeat at the hands of Jorge Garcia Perez at the weekend, Berman was ambivalent, having been down this road several times before over the years.
The brakes might have been applied on the hype train, but Golden Gloves will bring Knapp back, perhaps going the local route first.
“This is the business we’re in,” said Berman philosophically. “You fall off the horse, you get back on.”
