Boxing
'Gutted' Warren speaks out on Yoka-Okolie cancellation
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Frank Warren admits he was left "gutted" after Lawrence Okolie's adverse VADA test finding forced Queensberry Promotions to pull his Paris bout with Tony Yoka.
The pair were set to meet n France for a fascinating heavyweight encounter that offered likely lucrative rewards for the victor and their possible world title ambitions.
Either Okolie or Yoka would have earned themselves a lofty WBC ranking, teeing up a potential showdown with current world champion Oleksandr Usyk later in 2026.
Instead, Okolie's VADA results just five days before the fight was due to take place ultimately forced the entire show's cancellation, despite Warren's events to save it.
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"We are all completely gutted to have cancelled the show,” said the veteran Hall-of-Fame promoter when speaking exclusively to DAZN News .
"Ourselves and the DAZN team in France worked incredibly hard to try to keep the show alive but ultimately it wasn’t possible.
"It’s a real shame for the fighters who worked hard in camp and the fans that bought tickets but sadly it’s a situation none of us could have predicted."
Queensberry's Paris card would have followed on from Warren's success with a homecoming show for Agit Kabayel in Germany at the start of the year.
After that resounding triumph, there were hopes within the promotion that Yoka’s own return to Paris would prove to deliver similar results elsewhere in Europe.
Yoka was entering the fight full of confidence after a British-based career rebuild was capped by a one-round stoppage against Patrick Korte in Nigeria last December.
In Okolie, he was due to face a formidable threat in the onetime two-weight world title holder, who was bidding to add to his cruiserweight and bridgerweight crowns.
Queensberry Promotions are expected to provide a further update on Yoka’s next move in the coming days.
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