Eddie Hearn once made an expensive promise to one of his fighters, and when the fighter fulfilled his side, Hearn was a man of his word.
Eddie Hearn once promised one of his fighters that if they ever won a world title, he’d get them a Rolex.
The promise came after the fighter had seen Hearn’s own Rolex, a Sky-Dweller, and told him he liked it. Hearn assured the fighter he’d get one if he fulfilled his side, years before the cruiserweight went on to become a champion.
The cruiserweight was none other than Lawrence Okolie.
Lawrence Okolie receives Rolex from Eddie Hearn after world title win
The 15-0 Okolie won his first cruiserweight world title against Krzysztof Glowacki in 2021, stopping him in the sixth round of their Wembley Arena contest.
Following his world title victory, Hearn kept his promise and gifted Okolie a Rolex Sky-Dweller, a gift that left Okolie speechless.
Okolie defended the title three times before losing it in a messy affair against Chris Billam-Smith in 2023. Since then, Okolie made a brief stopover in the new Bridgerweight division, named after Bridger Walker who fought off a dog to protect his sister, becoming the world champion in one fight as he blitzed Lukasz Rozanski in one round.
He has now made his heavyweight debut, defeating Hussein Muhamed in one round too.
Lawrence Okolie and Eddie Hearn’s relationship soured after Rolex gift
Okolie, who volunteered to face Joseph Parker when Daniel Dubois withdrew, split from Matchroom after winning the world title, and told TalkSport of the reasons why, including some choice words for Hearn:
“Basically long story short, you have a choice as a fighter to go where you are celebrated, or go to where you’re tolerated, and I felt like I was being tolerated at my last place.”
Okolie, who sparred Moses Itauma, concluded: “The way he acts personally is very different. He’s very malicious, bitter, jealous as well.”
Okolie was meant to fight his rival Richard Riakporhe in a heavyweight contest, but withdrew due to injury.