Lawrence Okolie has failed an anti-doping test ahead of Saturday’s fight with Frenchman Tony Yoka.
Britain’s Okolie, the WBC’s No. 1-ranked heavyweight, was scheduled to travel to Paris to take on local star Yoka, but Tuesday it was reported Okolie returned an adverse analytical finding in a drug test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
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Okolie’s adverse finding was reportedly for the banned human growth hormone stimulator GHRP 2 and its M8 metabolite.
Okolie said in a statement:
“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.”
Queensberry Promotions, the promoter of Okolie and the event, announced Okolie’s fight with Yoka has been canceled, and so has the entire show.
Okolie formerly held the WBO cruiserweight title from 2021 until he lost it to Chris Billam-Smith in May 2023. The 2016 Olympian then moved up to win the lesser-recognized WBC bridgerweight title in May 2024.
The Brit made his heavyweight debut shortly after that and has fought three times in the division, winning all three bouts. Okolie retired Ebenezer Tetteh in two rounds this past December in Nigeria in his last bout.
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It is expected that Oleksandr Usyk could soon relinquish his WBC heavyweight title, which would’ve put Okolie in prime position to face interim champion Agit Kabayel, but Okolie’s world heavyweight title hopes may now be indefinitely postponed.
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