British boxer Lawrence Okolie has failed a doping test just days before his scheduled heavyweight bout against Tony Yoka in Paris, putting the fight in serious doubt.
The 33-year-old was set to face the 2016 Olympic gold medallist at the Adidas Arena this weekend, but the bout has been thrown into uncertainty after an adverse finding was reported by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA).
In a statement, his promoters Queensberry said: “Last night the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association informed Queensberry that Lawrence Okolie had returned an adverse finding following an anti-doping test conducted ahead of the show in Paris on Saturday.”
They added: “A further update regarding the event will be made in due course.” The development has left the entire fight card in jeopardy, with multiple bouts scheduled for the same night now uncertain.
Okolie, a former WBO cruiserweight world champion, had recently moved up to the heavyweight division and was pursuing a world title opportunity. He currently holds the WBC Silver Heavyweight title and last fought in December, securing a win over Ebenezer Tetteh.
The British fighter also previously held the WBC bridgerweight title in 2024, further boosting his profile as he transitioned between divisions.
The clash with Yoka had been highly anticipated, particularly as the French fighter had previously been linked with a potential bout against Anthony Joshua before agreeing to face Okolie. Officials from the British Boxing Board of Control have declined to comment on the situation, stating they are gathering more information before issuing a formal response.
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