Lawrence Okolie would beat Chris Billam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe at bridgeweight, says Macaulay McGowan | Boxing news

Health club mates Macaulay McGowan and Jack Massey may each win the European Championships over the subsequent two days.

Massey will face Isaac Chamberlain for the heavyweight title reside on Saturday Sky Sports activitieswhereas McGowan fights Abbas Barau for the super-middleweight belt in Bolton on Friday.

He is aware of that Barau is a formidable opponent. “I am anticipating a extremely robust combat and I am attempting to deliver out the perfect in me and get the win,” McGowan stated Sky Sports activities. “I do not see any flaws in him!

“I’ve fought some good fighters, I’ve fought some actually prime fighters, and it would not matter. I simply must consider in myself and what I am doing.

“If I apply myself and do what I have to do, I believe I can get him into my sport plan and make this combat actually good and win. I am actually positive.”

He added: “I used to be with Sergio Martinez, I am probably not frightened about anybody.”

McGowan has had an up and down profession. Since dropping to Martinez in 2022, he has solely misplaced as soon as. Final 12 months it was a cut up resolution in opposition to Tyler Denny, himself a European middleweight champion.

Earlier in 2023, he additionally ventured into hostile territory when he confronted Farhad Saad in Paris and sadly solely managed a draw.

This subsequent combat might be the top of his profession. McGowan had a novel metaphor to explain what successful would really feel like for him. He in contrast it to Patrick Swayze singing “She’s Just like the Wind.”

“Proper on the finish, Wendy Fraser is available in and sings harmonies. It enhances the tune and makes the entire tune,” he enthused.

“And that is my profession – I used to be Patrick Swayze in She’s Just like the Wind for 20 years. It comes, this necessary second comes, nevertheless it’s gone. It goes again down. After which one thing modifications within the instrumental half, Wendy Fraser seems – growth – and he or she hits the notes and it is like, wow, what an awesome tune.

“So this Friday is my Wendy Fraser second.”

McGowan would be the first of coach Joe Gallagher’s fighters from Manchester’s Champs Camp health club to be in motion this week.

“We may have two European champions by Sunday,” McGowan stated. “We prepare onerous, set excessive requirements and count on such outcomes.

“Jack appears good and I believe he’ll knock out Isaac Chamberlain.”

An inspirational addition to their health club was Lawrence Okolie. Now skilled by Gallagher, he bounced again from a loss to Chris Billam-Smith to knock out Lukasz Rozanski in a single spherical to win the WBC featherweight title.

“We noticed him are available in a little bit unmotivated, a little bit heavy,” McGowan stated. “We have seen the transformation of this man right into a world champion in a brief time frame, in order that’s been thrilling for everybody.”

He believes this model of Okolie would beat Billam-Smith or Richard Riakporhe in his new 224lb weight class.

“He is a drive to be reckoned with. He wasn’t the man I noticed on TV,” McGowan stated of Okolie.

“If we may [move up] I believe Lawrence will knock them each out.”

Final tickets obtainable for Billam Smith vs Riakporje through Boxxer.com.

Watch Chris Bylam-Smith defend his WBO world heavyweight title in opposition to Richard Riakporhe at Selhurst Park Crystal Palace, reside Sky Sports activities on Saturday, June 15; or Stream from NOW