Lawrence Okolie vs. David Light date, start time, odds, schedule & card for 2023 boxing fight

New Zealander David Light is seeking an upset when he challenges Lawrence Okolie for the WBO cruiserweight title on March 25. The fight will be in the Manchester Arena. 

Light turned pro in 2017, and 12 of his 20 wins have come via knockout. A 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medalist, Light declared himself “off to get that belt” when the 31-year-old left for the U.K. on March 14.

Hackney-born Okolie turned pro in 2017 and has won multiple regional belts. He beat Krzysztof Głowacki in 2021 to win the WBO cruiserweight title and has defended it twice. Okolie is fighting for the first time since he beat Michal Cieslak at the O2 Arena in February 2022.

Here is the full rundown of the schedule for the fight between the pair, with details on start times, odds, and more.

MORE: Is a jump to heavyweight imminent for cruiserweight champ Lawrence Okolie?

When is Lawrence Okolie vs. David Light?

• Date: Saturday, March 25 | Sunday, March 26
• Start time: 1 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. GMT | 4 a.m. AEDT*
• Main card: 3 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. GMT | 6 a.m. AEDT*
• Main event: 6 p.m. ET | 10 p.m. GMT | 9 a.m. AEDT* (approx.)

Okolie vs. Light will take place on March 25. The first fight is expected to be at around 5 p.m. GMT, with the main event at around 10 p.m. GMT – although timings are approximate and subject to change, depending on how long each fight takes.

*event takes place on March 26 in Australia.

How to watch Lawrence Okolie vs. David Light

The fight will be shown on Sky Sports Action in the U.K.

MORE: Fury vs. Usyk: What’s the hold up now?

Lawrence Okolie vs. David Light price: How much does the card cost? 

The fight is not pay-per-view so Sky Sports subscribers will be able to watch the action at no extra cost. Sky subscription package contract prices vary. Now TV also provides Sky Sports for £34.99 a month with no contract.

Where is Lawrence Okolie vs. David Light?

The bout will take place at the 21,000-capacity Manchester Arena, which could bring back happy memories for Okolie.

The towering titleist won his first professional contest at the arena, beating Geoffrey Cave by first-round knockout exactly six years before his fight with Light will take place.

Lawrence Okolie vs. David Light betting odds

Okolie is a huge favourite to win, priced at 1/7 by SkyBet. The bookmaker was offering Light at 4/1 at the start of fight week, with the draw 20/1.

Per Caesars, Okolie is the -700 favourite, while Light is the +500 underdog. 

In Canada, per Sports Interaction, Okolie is the -1001 favourite, while Light is the +475 underdog. 

MORE: How to bet on combat sports

Lawrence Okolie record and bio

• Nationality: British
• Born: December 16, 1992
• Height: 6-5
• Reach: 82.5 inches
• Total fights: 18
• Record: 18-0 with 14 wins by knockout

David Light record and bio

• Nationality: New Zealander
• Born: November 13, 1991
• Height: 6-2
• Reach: 76 inches
• Total fights: 20
• Record: 20-0 with 12 wins via knockout

Lawrence Okolie vs. David Light fight card

• Lawrence Okolie (c) vs. David Light for the WBO cruiserweight title
• Michael Gomez Jr vs. Levi Giles (super featherweight)
• Frazer Clarke vs. Rydell Booker (heavyweight)
• Callum Simpson vs. Celso Neves (super middleweight)
• Aaron McKenna vs. Lukas Ndafoluma (middleweight)
• Samuel Antwi vs. Omir Rodriguez (light middleweight))
• Shakiel Thompson vs. Robert Talarek (middleweight
• Karriss Artingstall vs. Linzi Buczynskyj (featherweight)
• Rhys Edwards vs. Brian Phillips (featherweight)
• Frankie Stringer vs. Jakub Laskowski (lightweight)
• Harvey Lambert vs. Casey Brown (light middleweight)