Under the tutelage of Sheffield-based coach Grant Smith, Orie has found the “mental shift” in preparing for longer bouts – rather than three rounds in amateur boxing – quite challenging.
He acknowledges the strong depth in heavyweight boxing, particularly in Britain, but is confident he has the attributes to one day emulate his hero Joshua and win a world title.
“It’s about the reach a world title brings,” he says. “More than anything, I was inspired by Joshua because of how he presented and conducted himself out of the ring.”
Orie is an ambassador for BoxWise, a charity which delivers 10-week, non-contact boxing programmes to disadvantaged young people in the UK.
“Some of the kids I’ve seen, they go home and have troubled and messy home lives. The gym is all they have,” he said.
“A boxing gym could be the difference from potentially getting life in prison to having a disciplined lifestyle.”
There is a long road ahead for Orie’s world-title quest. It is no easy feat – there are great fighters who never fulfilled their potential. But with his astuteness, dedication and desire to prove doubters wrong, you can be confident Orie will give it his best shot.
And no matter what belts he wins inside the ring, his passion for using boxing as a vehicle for change will be an asset to the sport for years to come.
