Boxing: Okolie Fails Doping Test Before Yoka Fight

British-Nigerian boxer Lawrence Okolie failed a doping test before his heavyweight fight against Tony Yoka.

The 33-year-old is scheduled to fight Frenchman Yoka, a 2016 Olympic champion, in Paris on Saturday, 25 April.

Fight promoter Queensberry said it was told on Monday night by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) that Okolie “returned an adverse finding following an anti-doping test conducted ahead of the show in Paris this Saturday”.

It said it would provide an update on whether the fight will go ahead “in due course”.

Former world champion Okolie said he hoped “sense prevails” as he explained the failed test came after treatment for an injury.

“Before anyone starts imagining the worst, following my bicep injury last year, I sustained an elbow injury on the same arm during this camp,” Okolie said in a statement posted on social media.

“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.”

Okolie won world titles at cruiserweight and bridgerweight before moving up to heavyweight in 2024.

He is undefeated in three heavyweight fights and stopped Ebenezer Tetteh last December in his most recent outing.