British boxer Lawrence Okolie has tested positive for a banned substance ahead of his highly anticipated bout against Tony Yoka, prompting the cancellation of their scheduled fight in Paris. Okolie was set to face the Olympic gold medalist at the Adidas Arena on Saturday, but his promoter, Queensberry, announced the cancellation after being informed of the adverse test result by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. The fight was a crucial one for Okolie's career, as a win would have positioned him for a potential shot at the heavyweight world championship. Okolie, a former world champion at cruiserweight and bridgerweight, had been on a three-fight winning streak at heavyweight.
He took to social media to address the situation, revealing that he had suffered an elbow injury during training and received treatment, which he believes may be related to the positive test. Okolie expressed his hope that the investigation will clear his name and stated that he will cooperate fully with the relevant authorities.