Lukasz Rozanski’s title reign ended exactly as it began.

Lawrence Okolie stormed into his opponent’s home country and will leave with the WBC Bridgerweight title in tow. The visiting Brit floored Rozanki three times to end the fight at 2:55 of round one Friday evening at Hala Podpromie in Rzeszow, Poland.

It was a fitting end to the 13-month reign for Rozanski, who fought in his hometown for the third straight time. His previous appearance was a 130-second bumrush of unbeaten Alen Babic last April 22 to win the vacant WBC Bridgerweight belt.

Several postponed bouts led to an inactive stretch and no successful title defenses for the fleshy 38-year-old. Okolie (20-1, 15 knockouts) answered the all, 52 weeks removed from his lone career defeat. The 2016 Great Britain Olympian hadn’t fought since a points loss to Chris Billam-Smith last May 27 to end his WBO cruiserweight title reign.

A bid to become a two-division titlist saw Okolie enter the ring at a career-heaviest 223 ½ pounds. His power followed him up the scale, as evidenced by Rozanski’s frequent clinches immediately out the gate.

Okolie spent the brief affair eager to line up Rozanski (15-1, 14 KOs) for a long right hand. Several landed, the most significant which floored Rozanki with just over a minute to go in the round.

Rozanski beat the count but was sent back to the deck mere seconds later. The exiting titlist complained of a rabbit punch as he rose from the second knockdown. The claim fell on deaf ears and action resumed, though the local favorite was on borrowed time.

Okolie closed the show with a right uppercut along the ropes. Rozanski once again went down in a heap but managed to rise to his feet. Referee Daniel Van de Wiele examined Rozanski after his eight count and determined he was no longer fit to continue.

The win saw Okolie become a two-division titlist, even though Bridgerweight is only recognized by the WBC and the WBA. He previously won the WBO cruiserweight title in a March 2021 fourth-round knockout of former champ Krzysztof Glowacki in London. Three successful defenses followed before the defeat to Billam-Smith last May.

It is highly doubtful that the 6’5” Brit will return to cruiserweight, where he is currently rated No. 4 by The Ring. The greater likelihood is a title defense at Bridgerweight before an eventual heavyweight campaign.

Also on the show, aspiring middleweight contender Fiodor Czerkaszyn (24-1, 15 KO) stopped Mexico’s Jorge Cota in the seventh round. The one-sided affair saw Czerkaszyn, a Ukraine-born boxer based in Warsaw, in fully control before Cota’s corner threw in the towel. The official time was 2:52 of round seven.

Both bouts aired live on TVP Sport-Poland and Sky Sports.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Follow @JakeNDaBox

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