Former cruiserweight world champion Okolie was scheduled to take on Tony Yoka in Paris on Saturday night as he continues his heavyweight campaign
Lawrence Okolie ahead of his fight
Lawrence Okolie has appeared to blame treatment on a bicep injury for his failed drug test.
Former cruiserweight and bridgerweight world champion Okolie was scheduled to take on Tony Yoka in Paris on Saturday night as he continues his heavyweight campaign.
But a statement from his promoter Queensberry read: “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.”
And Okolie has since taken to social media to offer his explanation. “Before anyone starts imagining the worst, following my bicep injury last year, I sustained an elbow injury on the same arm during this camp,” he wrote. “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.”
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Okolie and Yoka competed at the same Olympics in Rio in 2016, albeit in separate categories. Brit Okolie left Brazil empty-handed but Yoka won gold at super-heavyweight, beating Joe Joyce in a controversial final. Okolie has since gone on to become world champion at cruiserweight before he lost to Chris Billam-Smith three years ago.
He then knocked out Lukasz Rozanski to win the lightly-regarded WBC bridgerweight belt before moving up to boxing’s marquee division. Okolie had stopped his last three opponents before agreeing to a clash with Frenchman Yoka on Saturday night.
When the fight was announced, Okolie said: “At cruiserweight, it was difficult to make the weight, at bridgerweight it was difficult for me to make weight and now at heavyweight, I feel at my best and at my strongest, my most explosive and my most comfortable. This fight is eight or nine weeks away so I can get into really good shape. I feel my best self right now.
“I’ve watched him fight several times. We went to the same Olympics so for me this is an opportunity for me too. I never got to win an Olympic gold medal fight so for me this is my Olympic gold medal fight.
“When you see any good heavyweight you think they could be an opponent. He’s a good fighter, he’s got a lot of experience, he’s boxed a lot of good guys. As a professional he hasn’t hit the levels he possibly can and I think the momentum is in my favour.”
