Lawrence Okolie is facing a fight to save his career after failing a drugs test. The former cruiserweight world champion tested positive for a banned substance days before his scheduled heavyweight clash with Tony Yoka in Paris.
Okolie, 33, was immediately removed from Saturday's bout after GHRP 2, which stimulates the release of Human Growth Hormone (HGH), was detected in a pre-fight test. HGH can increase muscle mass and lower body fat and is known to be hard to detect.
Okolie, who has also won a world title at bridgerweight, faces a four-year ban if he is found to have cheated. The Londoner could still face a two-year ban even if he can prove the substance entered his system unintentionally. The 2016 Olympian appeared to blame the failed test on treatment he received 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," he said. "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."
Okolie was working in McDonald's when he watched Anthony Joshua win Olympic gold in 2012. Within four years he had followed in the footsteps of his fellow Brit, qualifying for the Rio Games before losing at the last-16 stage. Okolie turned professional the following year and went on to win British, Commonwealth and European cruiserweight titles.
He won his first world title by stopping Krzysztof Glowacki in 2021 and made three successful defences. But his reign at 200lb ended in 2023 when he was outpointed by Chris Billam-Smith in Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium. Okolie was then crowned bridgerweight world champion, a lightly-regarded division with a weight limit of 224lb, before moving up to heavyweight.
His three victories in boxing's blue-ribband division had moved him into position to challenge for a world title. Promoter Frank Warren learned of the failed test on Monday and was left scrambling to find a replacement for Okolie. But he was forced to admit defeat and last night scrapped the whole show which was also due to feature rising Irish heavyweight star Adam Olaniyan.
"He will have to deal with a hearing when they convene a hearing. It is very unsatisfactory but it is what it is," Warren said. Yoka, who won gold in Rio when he controversially beat Joe Joyce in the final, himself served a 12-month ban in 2018 after missing three drugs tests.
