Lawrence O’Coley believes it is a ‘tragic’ situation that Maris Byredis has tattooed Jake Paul’s name to try to put up a fight with the social media star.
IBF and Ring Magazine cruiserweight champion Breidis has been pursuing a showdown with the YouTuber for the best part of a year and recently got his name inked on his left foot.
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The bizarre tat stunned WBO 200lb winner Okoli, who believes the Latvian is chasing ‘pressure’ from The Problem Child.
Boohooman’s ambassador told SunSport: “I agree with you [that it’s a sad state of affairs],
“But I think it’s fake. It’s the only thing that makes sense.
“If it’s real, it’s a shame that a world champion tattooed the name of someone else who is an inexperienced boxer, former YouTuber, for all the clout.”
Okoli, 29, can’t understand why Bredis is pursuing a showdown with a YouTuber when the big-money integration fights with himself and Ilunga Makabu are at the table.
He continued: “It’s sad, especially when there are so many big pay days at the table with other boxers.
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“It’s a little weird, a little quirky, but everyone has their own intentions in life and their own way of looking at stuff.”
Paul, 24, has so far not acknowledged Byredis’ attempts to lure him into a fight.
And O’Coli believes that many of his bids to persuade the former Disney star to step down have gone completely bleak.
He continued: “I think he’s probably thinking of post-boxing in some kind of career context. I don’t know, really, it’s weird.
“Maybe he wants to promote his social media. I honestly don’t know the reason behind it.
“It got everyone talking, which is good. But what’s the end result?”
Hackney hitman Okoli is currently gearing up for his second defense of the WBO Strap against Poland’s Michael Sislak.
The pair’s clash will top the bill for a stacked card on February 27 at the O2 Arena.
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Lawrence O’Coley speaks to SunSport ahead of the launch of Boohooman’s ‘Lightweight’ activewear range, which is available now.
He said: “I am really happy with this new activewear range! The campaign photos look sick and it was really fun to shoot.
“The folks at Boohooman have really picked up on product quality lately and I feel this range, with recent releases, can easily match the big performance brands in the world.
“I hope everyone revisits the collection once it’s launched, either at the gym, outdoor training, or boxing!”
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