Promoter Frank Warren is hoping to draft in another British heavyweight to replace Lawrence Okolie after the former world cruiserweight champion failed a drugs test ahead of his return to the ring.
Okolie was set to face Olympic Gold Medalist Yoka at the Adidas Arena in the French capital of Paris this weekend but the bout has now been scrapped after ‘The Sauce’ returned an adverse finding on a routine drugs test earlier this week.
The 33-year-old made the jump up from cruiserweight to heavyweight back in 2024 and previously held the WBC ‘Silver’ world title which he captured with a stoppage win over Hussein Muhamed at the Wembley Arena in London.
The show in Paris may go on and, speaking to talkSPORT, Warren revealed that he is looking at drafting in a British fighter to replace Okolie on Saturday night with an announcement expected to be made later today.
“It’s very, very, very unsatisfactory but it is what it is and we’ve gotta get on with it and make sure we run a show and that’s what we’re trying to do at the moment and find an opponent for Tony Yoka, that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to find a British fighter to get in there.”
Yoka is in the process of rebuilding his career after he suffered three consecutive defeats to Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam and Ryad Merhy between May 2022 and December of 2023.
The 33-year-old is unbeaten in his last four bouts and will be keen on making it five in a row if Warren is successful in his attempt at securing a new opponent for Saturday nights event.
