‘No Brainer’ – Tommy McCarthy believes Lawrence Okolie would be the perfect world title opponent

Tommy McCarthy [16(8)- 2(1)] isn’t overly fond of hearing the name Lawrence Okolie [14(11)-0] mentioned alongside his, but admits a fight between the pair is a ‘no brainer’.

As the lead Matchroom crusierweight and a fighter who has won British and European titles en route to securing a world title shot, the Londoner is the man the majority of a stacked domestic division are chasing.

Suggestions along those lines don’t always sit well with McCarthy, not because he doesn’t want to fight ‘The Sauce’ but because he wants to be about his journey.

Still the Pete Taylor trained MHD fighter is aware that an Okolie fight remains a possibility, would be fan friendly and it’s one he has always stated he believes he wins.

Not to mention if the fighters win their next respective fights it would mean the meeting would be a world title shot.

‘Big Tommy’s’ next fight should be for the European title recently vacated by Okolie, win that and he can emulate the Shane McGuigan trained fighter and could go straight into a world title fight.

Okolie will fight Poland’s Krzysztof Glowacki for the vacant WBO world title at a venue and on a date yet to be confirmed. It’s quite possible Matchroom will look to put McCarthy’s EBU tilt on the same card and if both win on the night the Belfast boxer believes the pair could fight after.

“If I win the European and he wins the world it makes it easier to make. It’s a no brainer for Matchroom to put on a defence against me,” McCarthy told Irish-boxing.com.

Okolie has his critics and McCarthy can see why, although he does stress you have to admit the undefeated fighter has a way of getting the job done.

“I think Okolie is big strong and akward. It’s ugly but effective. I know I am better than him in terms of skill, but in fairness to him he always seems to win, so it’s a fight the fans can get excited about. It’s a perfect world title fight for me.”