“I think Dubois is going to win because he has more experience and he beats better players,” Okolie told Sky Sports. “If they start trading, unless Fabio is faster, Dubois is definitely going to punch harder than him and it’s going to hurt him.”

The reason is very clear. Wadley is quick and can finish in bursts, but Dubois is good at playing longer, higher-level games. Okolie is thinking about what happens when the pace slows and the bigger punches start landing cleanly. He acknowledged the threat Wadley posed, especially under coach Ben Davison.

“If they catch Dan early and hard, we could be seeing a repeat of (Wardley’s best) performance,” Okolie said. “But I’ll be rooting for Dan in that fight.”

Okolie’s familiarity with Dubois dates back to their time under Sean McGuigan, when they practiced in the same training camp and competed against each other regularly. This background influences his comments on close range power and durability.

The prediction comes as Okolie prepares for his own competition next month. On April 25, he will face 2016 Olympic gold medalist Tony Yoka in Paris and remains firmly ranked No. 1 in the WBC rankings. He publicly targeted interim champion Agit Kabayel and described the course he planned to follow.

“My goal is to win in France, win in Germany and then win in England and be the king of everything,” Okolie said.

Dubois’ victory in Manchester would spark a British contest built on shared history and previous feuds. A victory for Wardley would change the direction of that pursuit, although Okolie’s focus remains the same.

Lawrence must first defeat Yuka. After that, Kabayel’s opportunity was placed in front of him. Now siding with Du Bois, Okolie has made clear which version of the domestic picture he wishes to pursue once his own overseas work is completed.