Following Lawrence Okolie’s positive doping test, Queensberry and DAZN have canceled the entire event in Paris.
The big boxing evening at the Adidas Arena is off: following Lawrence Okolie’s positive doping test, the entire Queensberry event in Paris on Saturday has been canceled. This means that not only the heavyweight main fight against Tony Yoka, but also all other fights on the card have been canceled. Queensberry and DAZN confirmed the decision, citing circumstances beyond their control. Ticket purchasers should receive a refund via the respective ticket agencies.
Initially, Queensberry had only announced a conspicuous result from a VADA test at Okolie. It is now clear that, according to several reports, the findings are positive. Okolie himself explained that the test was related to medical treatment following problems with his left arm. He announced that he would cooperate with the relevant authorities and clear his name. Which substance was detected was not initially mentioned in the reliable agency reports.
The cancellation also means the cancellation of the heavily contested co-main event between Bakary Samake and Ermal Hadribeaj, which was intended to be an important eliminator in the semi-main event. Also affected are the planned appearances of other boxers on the undercard. The fact that the entire gala was canceled instead of a replacement main event indicates how much the event depended commercially and athletically on the Okolie-Yoka duel.
The development is particularly bitter for Tony Yoka. The Olympic champion was supposed to get an important chance to kick-start his career on the big stage again in Paris. Instead, he is now facing another forced break. The cancellation is also a setback for Queensberry, after the Paris show was intended to serve another major European location.
Text by Robin Josten