WBO cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie is not worried about the recent statements Chris Billam-Smith.

When both boxers were trained by Shane McGuigan, Billam-Smith was one of Okolie's key sparring partners and the two shared the ring numerous times.

Billam-Smith believes those sparring sessions will give him an edge in the contest.

Okolie would eventually leave McGuigan and hire new head trainer SugarHill Steward.

With McGuigan in his corner, Billam-Smith will challenge Okolie on May 27 at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth.

Okolie is already predicting the tactics from Billam-Smith and McGuigan.

"I know that they're going to come. Their whole game plan is going to be around getting on my chest and screaming for points, all this stuff," Okolie told Sky Sports.

"So I'm very much aware of the psyche that they're into, which is: 'We can't beat Lawrence in a fight. We can't. We can try and get a lucky punch but maybe we can make it a maul and get the crowd behind and throw him off'. But I've never been that way inclined. I'm very focused, razor sharp, so I'm looking forward to showing it.

"And I know that I can break him so I'm going to aim to break him on the day. That's it. We'll see if [our past] means anything. But that sort of stuff motivates me because you guys watch me do it. Amateurs, [I] came through, British, Commonwealth. When I was winning the British title, these guys were already pro, pussyfooting around the game.

"I'm there going in against people like Matty Askin, who was a top-10 fighter at the time. Luke Watkins, undefeated 13-0 at the time. [Isaac] Chamberlain, 9-0, so that one doesn't count as much but within a year I'm already headlining the O2 Arena, within a year of professional boxing. I've been there, in the deep end, so I can get why these guys would always be watching me."