British boxer Lawrence Okolie fails doping test before Paris fight with Tony Yoka - BBC

British boxer Lawrence Okolie says he hopes "sense prevails" after failing a doping test before his heavyweight fight against Tony Yoka.

Okolie is a two-time world champion

British boxer Lawrence Okolie has failed a doping test and his heavyweight fight against Tony Yoka this weekend will not go ahead.

The 33-year-old had been scheduled to take on 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".

The fight night has been cancelled following Okolie's removal from the headline bout, with Queensberry citing "circumstances outside of our control".

Former world champion Okolie earlier said that 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 co-operating with all relevant authorities and I'm confident any investigation will clear my name."

Okolie won a world title at cruiserweight 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.

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