Lawrence Okolie has admitted his approach to boxing has changed after watching Ryan Garcia pull off a shock win against Devin Haney on Saturday night.

After weeks of erratic behaviour that included posting on social media about UFOs and demons, predicting an earthquake that would ‘destroy Hollywood and Las Vegas’, and proposing to a porn star in fight week, Garcia stunned the boxing world by dropping Haney three times on his way to a majority decision victory.

There were genuine concerns about Garcia’s welfare heading into Saturday’s fight after he struggled to keep his cool at Friday’s weigh-in where he missed weight, and he later claimed he was drinking and smoking every day in training camp, but he still put on the performance of his life to hand Haney his first professional defeat.

Reflecting on how things played out, Okolie revealed that he is now looking at the sport differently after seeing how Garcia held everything together when it mattered most.

‘It’s changed my mind about how I am going to approach my fight I can tell you that much,’ Okolie told Betway.

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Ryan Garcia shocked the boxing world by beating Devin Haney on Saturday night

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Garcia beat Haney despite worrying fans in the weeks before the fight by posting on social media about UFOS and demons

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Garcia also proposed to Australian porn star Savannah Bond (pictured) just days before the fight

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He posted on X that Bond had said yes to his proposal, just three months after his divorce from his ex-wife

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Garcia also struggled to keep his cool after missing weight on Friday, but then delivered the performance of his life

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Lawrence Okolie believes Garcia proved that what happens outside the ring ‘doesn’t matter’ and admitted he has now changed his whole approach to boxing

‘When it’s all said and done, it’s about the fighting and all of the stuff outside of the ring doesn’t matter. Hats off to Ryan, I thought he boxed brilliantly.

‘His passion and determination shined through, and I think that was one of the main differences because Devin Haney was still boxing well and fighting a good fight, but you could just tell that the energy was with Ryan Garcia no matter what.’

The fight remained close on the scorecards throughout, with Haney picking up rounds while boxing behind his jab, but it was clear Garcia had the edge in power.

Garcia hurt his opponent in the opening round with a left hook, and Okolie praised him for trusting his ability to keep finding that shot to get the job done over the distance.

Speaking on Garcia’s strategy, Okolie added: ‘I think it was also Ryan managing himself in-between rounds. He may have been tired but that shows experience too.

Ryan Garcia brags about ‘drinking and smoking every day’

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Okolie lost his world title to Chris Billam-Smith last year, but is set for another shot at glory against Poland’s Lukasz Rozanksi next month

‘He may have been tired and taken a few rounds off and then go for it. I think it was just someone who was managing 12 rounds very well and also, I think from the first round when he landed that first shot in the first 30 seconds of the round that he knew his left hook could do something and it showed.’

Okolie has his own shot at becoming a two-weight world champion when he faces Poland’s Lukasz Rozanski for the WBC bridgerweight title next month.

The Brit lost his cruiserweight belt to domestic foe Chris Billam-Smith in a scrappy fight that saw him knocked down three times and deducted points for excessive holding.

But Okolie has now insisted that his mentality has changed for his chance at redemption, and will hope this pays off when he takes on Rozanski on May 24.