New Zealand's Joseph Parker Faces Potential Suspension Following Failed Doping Test
Joseph Parker returned an adverse finding as part of a doping test carried out the very day he faced 11th-round loss against British heavyweight Fabio Wardley.
The Match and Its Consequences
Fabio Wardley and Joseph Parker participated in an intense contest in London on 25 October to decide the next WBO mandatory challenger facing reigning heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.
Joseph Parker was previously the primary candidate to challenge Oleksandr Usyk following stringing together an impressive six wins in a row, but placed his mandatory challenger status at stake in London and endured an 11th-round defeat.
Failed Examination Plus Potential Consequences
A standard screening given to the boxer by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency on the day of the bout came back positive and now leaves Parker facing a challenge to demonstrate his cleanliness.
His promotion team published a communique declaring: "The anti-doping body alerted all required parties about Parker had a positive result after a drug screening conducted on October 25th. While the matter is investigated, no more comments will be made at this time."
Career Background
Parker was crowned heavyweight champion back in 2016 until he lost the WBO title through a points decision versus British star Joshua in Cardiff in 2018.
Parker remained a frequent visitor in the UK from that point, fighting eight times altogether on UK territory and moving to Dublin for preparation under esteemed mentor former champion Lee over the past few years.
Recent Developments
Under the tutelage of Lee, Parker bounced back from his 2022 loss to Joe Joyce to achieve a string of victories positioning him front of the queue to face Oleksandr Usyk until he was defeated against Wardley.
After Parker returned a failed test during the Wardley bout, reportedly involving cocaine, an investigation regarding the results has been started.
- Parker tested positive for a banned substance.
- The screening was conducted through Vada the day of the bout.
- Joseph Parker could receive a possible suspension from the sport.
- Queensberry has issued a statement confirming the adverse finding.
- A review has been ongoing into the matter.
