Delicious Orie turned down a contract from the WWE and is now fulfilling his dream to take over boxing.
Orie has faced natural comparisons to Anthony Joshua throughout the early stages of his career, having followed in the same footsteps through the same Team GB Olympics set-up.
GettyOrie has signed with Frank Warren and will make his pro debut in April[/caption]
The powerful heavyweight has the exact same 6ft 6ins frame, and also represented his country in the super-heavyweight division, fighting in a controversial loss at the most recent Paris 2024 Games.
He is just 27 years old and has the world at his feet, but after being left distraught from being robbed of his Olympic gold medal dream, Orie weighed up his future carefully.
While taking some time to consider his next move, Orie was invited to the US to train at the WWE Performance Institute, where he trained to be a professional wrestler.
After his visit, Orie was subject to concrete interest and a potential contract with the WWE, which would have been full-time, and seen him turn his back on a professional boxing career.
The Briton has supreme talent when having gloves on his powerful hands, but had a real decision to make.
Ultimately he recently decided to stick with boxing, and signed a long-term promotional deal with Queensberry Promotions and Frank Warren.
Orie will now make his pro debut at the Co-op Arena in Manchester on April 5, as part of a big bill headlined by Dillian Whyte vs Joe Joyce.
It is a huge platform for him to make his name, with a conveyor belt of British heavyweight talent coming through to the professional ranks.
But he has revealed he seriously thought about signing with the WWE, but decided to fulfil what he believes is his legacy-defining path.
Orie told talkSPORT.com: “They contacted me after the Olympics, they tried to sell me the package.
“I went out to Florida for a week, I got to experience their shows, the training, the acting, it was beautiful and amazing.
“I got to meet a lot of the superstars and I got the whole immersive experience, so it was a hard decision.
“I was offered a contract, so I needed a few weeks to sit down and think about what I really want.
“It’s one thing earning money, but it’s another thing fulfilling myself in life. If I’m 60 or 70 years old, thinking will I be happy if I go down the WWE route?
“I thought when I’m older looking back, as long as I give everything to boxing, I will be a happy man.
“So that is the primary reason I made the decision to go professional and stick to boxing.”
Orie appears to have made a brilliant decision to be in the boxing world, at a time when opportunities for boxers are widespread and lucrative.
The talented star could be thrust into some big fights down the stretch with the likes of Moses Itauma and Fabio Wardley rising through the ranks at a similar time.
Boxers in the past have had endeavours in both boxing and WWE simultaneously with Tyson Fury having appeared in the wrestling promotion while fighting.
But Orie insists boxing isn’t a sport he can be removed from, but is open to a future in WWE when he is much older and his legacy in boxing is cemented.
He continued: “So we spoke with the team at the performance centre and they said the door is always open.
“I’ve passed the assessments and they are happy to take me, so you never know in a few years.
“When I’ve established myself as a professional boxer, I could potentially do some random appearances.
“In the next few years, they are looking to ramp up the UK scene and they said I’d be the first in mind.
“The opportunity is always there, but it’s time to chase the primary targets in boxing which will be great.”
Orie now has a big future ahead of him, and he will be carefully managed by Warren to maximise his development and ignite his path to the top of the division.
