Will Lawrence Okolie fight Tony Yoka? British heavyweight fails drugs test days before Paris boxing bout originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Lawrence Okolie was hoping to make his own statement on the crowded British heavyweight landscape this weekend against 2016 Olympic gold medalist Tony Yoka.
WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley faces compatriot Daniel Dubois on May 9 at Manchester's Co-op Live, where rising star Moses Itauma demolished American Jermaine Franklin last month.
Okolie was ringside for that contest and was theoretically a straightforward fight to make for either Itauma, Wardley or Dubois as all four operate under Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions banner.
However, the 33-year-old's immediate plans and his wider future in boxing have now been thrown into flux.
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Okolie's fight with Yoka is set to be cancelled after the Londoner returned an adverse analytical finding in a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) test ahead of the bout.
A statement from Queensberry on Tuesday morning read: "Last night, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association informed Queensberry that Lawrence Okolie returned an adverse finding conducted ahead of the show in Paris this Saturday. A further update regarding the event will be made in due course."
Okolie vs. Yoka was part of a double bill at Paris' Adidas Arena featuring rising super welterweight star Bakary Samake against Ermal Hadribeaj. Samake and Yoka are both strong ticket-sellers in their homeland and it is likely that a late replacement for Okolie will be sought so that the heavyweight bout can go ahead.
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Okolie has vowed to clear his name and said he believes recent treatment for a bicep injury might be the reason for the adverse finding.
In an Instagram post, Okolie wrote: "Before anyone starts imagining the worst, following my bicep injury last year, I sustained an elbow injury on the same arm during this camp.
"I had a treatment on it and now we are here. I truly hope sense prevails. I will of course be fully cooperating with all relevant authorities and I'm confident any investigation will clear my name.
"I won't be making any further comment at this time. Thank you for all your support and see you soon."