Queensberry Promotions have announced that British heavyweight Lawrence Okolie has returned “an adverse finding” in a routine anti-doping test conducted by Voluntary Anti-Doping Association ahead of facing Olympic gold medalist Tony Yoka on Saturday.
Frank Warrens’s Queensberry Promotions have released the following statement: ”Last night, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) informed Queensberry that Lawrence Okolie returned an adverse finding following an anti-doping test conducted ahead of the show in Paris this Saturday. A further update regarding the event will be made in due course.”
Okolie (23-1, 17 KOs) was due to collide with France’s Yoka (15-3, 12 KOs) at the Adidas Arena in Paris this coming Saturday. It has not been announced if the fight has been cancelled or not.
A similar situation where Artur Beterbiev produced an adverse analytical finding ahead of a light heavyweight world title fight against Callum Smith in January 2024, was not enough to cancel their fight in Quebec City. Beterbiev was allowed to go ahead with the bout with Smith following an investigation by VADA president Margret Goodman, who allowed the fight to continue despite the adverse finding.
Okolie has claimed world titles at both cruiserweight and bridgerweight before campaigning at heavyweight. Yoka was due to return to Paris following a a first round knockout against Patrick Korte in Nigeria last December. Okolie appeared on the same card, making short work of Ebenezer Tetteh.
More to follow…
