Boxing: winning return for Tony Yoka
The French boxer returns to the ring after almost a year of absence and several canceled fights
Quick Look
- Tony Yoka, 34, won on points in six rounds against Ukrainian Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko, 35, on Saturday at the Manchester Arena, for his first fight in almost a year.
- Several of his fights were canceled between April and July 2026, notably against Lawrence Okolie and Murat Gassiev.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Tony Yoka, 2016 Olympic champion, had not fought since his victory against Patrick Korte in December 2025 in Lagos. Several fights were canceled between April and July, including one against Lawrence Okolie in Paris after a positive doping test from the opponent, and one against Murat Gassiev due to a back injury.
French heavyweight Tony Yoka won on points against the Ukrainian Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko on Saturday in Manchester, for his first fight in almost a year, scheduled at the “last minute”. “Queensberry (Promotions, his promoter, Editor's note) contacted me for a last minute fight,” explained the 2016 Olympic champion in a video posted on the DAZN X account, broadcaster of the fight.
Tony Yoka, 34, won on points after six rounds against the 35-year-old Ukrainian at the Manchester Arena. “I feel good because it’s been almost a year since I last fought, I had three fights canceled this year, so I needed to get back in the ring,” he reacted after his victory to his promoter’s microphone. “I want to be in the running and now there are some good fights at heavyweight. I want to be part of this division, so I have to win,” added the Frenchman.
Several fights canceled
Tony Yoka had not entered a ring since a victory against the German Patrick Korte in December 2025 in Lagos (Nigeria), due to the cancellation of several of his fights between April and July. The one planned in Paris against Lawrence Okolie was canceled at the last minute following a positive doping test from the Briton, while Yoka withdrew against the Russian Murat Gassiev due to a back injury.
In between, he had a standby fight scheduled against Dan Garber, but that was also canceled. “I just want to fight as much as possible, every two months, three months, I just want to be active,” Tony Yoka said on Saturday.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Tony Yoka will fight again in the next two to three months
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What are the next fights planned for Tony Yoka?
- What potential opponents are being considered in the heavyweight division?
