London's OVO Arena witnessed a thrilling night of boxing as Lawrence Okolie made his mark in the heavyweight division. Former cruiserweight champion Okolie showcased his skills with a first-round win over Hussein Muhamed, sending the German to the canvas in just 46 seconds. This dream start set the tone for an exciting evening of fights.

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Okolie's Heavyweight Journey

After losing his WBO cruiserweight title to Chris Billam-Smith last year, the 31-year-old Okolie took a bold step by jumping up divisions. He won the WBC bridgerweight title in May and then signed with promoter Frank Warren, leading him to step up to heavyweight. On Friday, he weighed in at an impressive 18st 6lb, two and a half stone heavier than his previous fight and more than four stone than against Billam-Smith. Despite the added weight, he felt solid and ready for the challenges ahead. "I felt tired having to make that [cruiserweight] – now I know every round I can be explosive and then recover," he explained.Okolie's style has often been criticized for excessive grappling and clinching, but in this fight, he delivered an explosive performance. As soon as he landed his punches, his opponents started to feel the impact. This pre-fight promise was fulfilled, and Warren believes there will be "big fights in 2025" for the Hackney fighter.

Bentley's Middleweight Triumph

In the main event, Denzel Bentley won the British and European middleweight titles. He edged a competitive back-and-forth encounter with Brad Pauls and dropped Pauls in the 10th round with a seemingly innocuous jab. Pauls had a strong support from his Cornwall contingent with chants of 'Newquay Bomb', but there were empty seats in the arena, possibly due to Storm Darragh. All three judges scored in favor of Bentley, who remains the number one challenger for WBO champion Janibek Alimkhanuly after losing to him in 2022.

Adeleye's Stunning Victory

Earlier in the night, David Adeleye sent a message to other British heavyweights with a stunning first-round stoppage win over Solomon Dacres. Joe Joyce and 2024 Team GB Olympian Delicious Orie watched from ringside as Adeleye unleashed a powerful lead left hook just one minute and 20 seconds into the contest. The punch skimmed Dacres' head but had a significant impact, scrambling his senses and causing him to crash into the ropes and to the canvas.British and Commonwealth lightweight champion Sam Noakes continued his undefeated record with a dominant unanimous decision win over Ryan Walsh. His brother Sean Noakes had also outpointed Matthew Rennie earlier in the night.Boxing fans were treated to a night full of excitement and drama as these talented fighters showcased their skills in the ring. Each fighter brought their unique style and determination, making it a memorable evening for all.