LAWRENCE OKOLIE trainer Joe Gallagher is ‘hugely gutted and frustrated’ at the doping charge his new heavyweight is fighting.
The 33-year-old former cruiserweight champ was supposed to box Tony Yoka in Paris last weekend, in a WBC world title eliminator.
Lawrence Okolie has a new fight now to clear his name from a doping scandal Credit: Alamy
But he in a Voluntary Agency test, believed to have been taken on April 8, for human growth hormone stimulant GHRP 2.
Okolie on social media, blaming the issue on medical treatment he required on an injury and vowed to co-operate fully and clear his name.
But respected veteran coach Gallagher 57, admits he was floored by the news, though he believes Okolie will clear his name.
“I was hugely shocked,” he told Now. “I still am, it feels surreal.
“Lawrence has put a statement out, he is going to go away and sort it out.
“I am hugely disappointed, hugely frustrated.
“We worked so hard to get in this position, in a really good fight that I classed as a ‘world cup semi-final’.
“I have seen people say ‘he has been popped’. But we are not about that in my gymnasium, isn’t about that.
“And for him to be on steroids, or whatever it is, one; there isn’t a muscle on him and two; there’s no anger in him, so they weren’t working on him.
“It’s down to him now to go away and sort it out and get back in the gym as soon as possible.”
Joe Gallagher is one of Britain’s most respected boxing trainers and a vocal opponent of doping Credit: AFP Okolie is battling against a ban between two and four years, depending on whether he can prove how the substance – available online but not for human consumption – entered his system.
Gallagher – a committed anti-doping voice in the sport – has given the 2016 Olympian some time and space to address the disaster.
And he has refused to entertain social media trolls who believe he and his Manchester gym are now guilty by association.
He explained: “I had a couple of days break, Lawrence has gone back to Dubai. I will speak to him at the end of the week.
“It was a shock for him, he had been in Manchester for two-and-a-half months, he had done a big training camp.
“He will be gutted but like he said in his statement, he will go away and sort it out and I think it can be sorted very quickly. I am gutted for him, for us, for Tony Yoka, for Queensberry.
“I have not read anything online. I don’t need to try to defend, we know what we are doing, we are a clean gym, so I am not worried about tittle tattle idiots on social media.”
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Okolie’s statement came quickly after the fight – and eventually the whole show – was cancelled.
And he seemed to confirm the substance was found in his system, but laid the blame on a medical treatment he needed, and even shared a photo of his scarred left arm.
He wrote: “Before anyone starts imagining the worst, following my bicep injury last year, I sustained an elbow injury on the same arm during this camp.
“I had a treatment on it and now we are here.
“I truly hope sense prevails.
“I will of course be fully co-operating 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.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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