Amidst boos and whistles, Okolie struggles to beat David Light

 Nigeria-born Lawrence Okolie made hard work of a dull fight with David Light.

Hackney’s 30-year-old WBO cruiserweight champion needed all 12 rounds to outpoint the New Zealand 31-year-old, with scores of 116-112, 119-108 and 117-110.

But it was a far from spectacular comeback after 13 months sidelined.

Okolie poked out a few jabs in the opener but he was always really headhunting with his huge right hand.

Light took one dig to the ribs and didn’t fold so proved early on that he was tough.

The Kiwi staggered backwards in the second from one punishing right hand to the temple and, right on the bell, he shipped another monster backhand that he did well to survive.

The challenger was game and durable but it was evident from very early on that he had nothing in his arsenal to worry the Englishman who still neglects his jab way too much.

Under orders from trainer Sugarhill Steward, Okolie targeted Light’s body in the fourth but his abs were not just for show and he held up fine under the pressure.

A couple of trademark Okolie right hands landed in the fifth but Light kept upright and marching on to them.

The sixth was three dull minutes of my life I can never get back and, barring a couple of successful shots from Light, the seventh was another painfully long session.

Light did his best to make the fight physical and close-range but that just made it an even harder watch and a few boos and whistles broke out in the Manchester crowd.

Light was buzzed in round ten and it looked briefly like Okolie would secure a stoppage but he let his man off the hook.

Okolie lost a point in the eleventh for holding too much and then he stunned Light with one of the few sweet punches of the fight.

The final bell came as a relief.

The winner said at the end: “ I give myself a five or six out of 10.

“He was extremely tough and he had the right tactics. I don’t have any excuses, I just need to be better.

“I just couldn’t get my last shot off to drop him.

“I am ready to fight anyone and if they watch me and think I am rubbish then they should step up and fight me.”

The judges awarded Okolie the victory on points