QUEENSBERRY HEADS TO PARIS WITH FRENCH STARS YOKA AND SAMAKE TO HEADLI

Queensberry continues its international expansion on Saturday, 25 April, bringing a landmark night of boxing to the French capital. Paris’ state-of-the-art Adidas Arena will stage ‘Le Double’, a co-promotion with Samake Promotion, headlined by the nation’s two biggest boxing stars.

Live worldwide on DAZN, a blockbuster heavyweight clash dubbed boxing’s own version of Le Crunch, as France faces England. Olympic gold medallist Tony Yoka (15-3, 12 KOs) returns to his home city to face former world champion Lawrence Okolie (22-1, 16 KOs) in what promises to be an explosive collision.

The card also features undefeated Parisian super welterweight Bakary Samake (19-0, 11 KOs) takes the crucial next step towards a WBC world title shot, contesting a final eliminator against unbeaten, US-based Albanian Ermal Hadribeaj (22-0-1, 8 KOs).

“I am thrilled to be extending our reach to the French capital,” said promoter Frank Warren. “As in Britain and Germany, the passion for boxing in France runs deep.

“In Tony Yoka and Bakary Samake, we have two major stars capable of reigniting the sport in an important and historic boxing territory.

“There was immense pressure on Tony when he turned professional following his Olympic success, carrying the hopes of a nation on his shoulders. While he performed in sold-out arenas, perhaps the expectations came too soon. Now training in London, he returns as a revitalised, confident fighter, and his homecoming clash with Lawrence Okolie will be a cracker.

“Bakary, meanwhile, is looking to trade up his WBC Silver title in a final eliminator against a tough and experienced opponent in Ermal Hadribeaj. Victory would see another French star firmly established and help secure a bright future for boxing in France.”

Yoka, 33, won Olympic gold in 2016 and turned professional the following year. After winning his first 11 bouts, he suffered three consecutive defeats but has since rebuilt his career while training in England and now enters the contest on a four-fight winning streak.

Okolie, also 33, is a two-weight world champion, having won titles at cruiserweight and bridgerweight. Now campaigning at heavyweight, he currently holds the WBC Silver title and has fought three times at his third professional weight. His most recent defence came against Kevin Lerena at Wembley Stadium last July.

Samake, 22, from Seine-Saint-Denis, captured the WBC Silver super welterweight title with an eighth-round stoppage of Wade Ryan in November 2024, before successfully defending the belt with an eighth-round knockout of Roarke Knapp.

Hadribeaj, 32 — known as The Albanian Sniper — lives in Miami Beach and has held the WBC International super welterweight title since November 2022, making eight successful defences. In his most recent outing, fighting in his hometown of Tirana, the southpaw earned a unanimous decision victory over Placido Ramirez.