Lawrence Okolie has failed a drug test just days before his heavyweight clash with Tony Yoka, plunging the event into jeopardy.
Briton Okolie was set to meet Frenchman Yoka in front of a partisan crowd in Paris this weekend, with “The Sauce” looking to push himself into the world title picture.
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However, things have taken a turn after returning an “adverse finding” in a drugs test in the lead-up to the fight.
Queensberry Promotions released a statement which read: “Last night, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) informed Queensberry that Lawrence Okolie had returned an adverse finding following an anti-doping test conducted ahead of the show in Paris on Saturday.
“A further update regarding the event will be made in due course.”
Okolie is the reigning WBC silver heavyweight champion and was set to make his fourth appearance in the division off the back of a win over Ebenezer Tetteh in Lagos last December.
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It comes after the 33-year-old moved up from cruiserweight, in which he reigned as WBO world champion for two years, before being dethroned by compatriot Chris Billam-Smith.
That defeat at Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium proved the end of his run at 200lbs as he went on to knock out Lukasz Rozanksi to capture the WBC bridgerweight title, before bulking up further and beating Hussein Muhamed and Kevin Lerana at heavyweight.
More to follow.
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