New Zealand heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker is facing a potential two-year suspension from the sport after returning a positive test for cocaine. The adverse finding came from a sample taken on the day of his fight against Fabio Wardley last month.
Parker's Surprise and Protest of Innocence
Joseph Parker has publicly expressed his shock at the test result, taking to social media to firmly deny any wrongdoing. "This came as a real surprise to me," Parker stated. "I did not take any prohibited substance, I do not use performance enhancing drugs and do not support their use."
The former world champion emphasised his cooperation with the ongoing investigative process and voiced confidence that he would be cleared. He has received numerous messages of support from fans and promised to speak openly once the investigation concludes.
The Fight and Its Consequences
The positive test casts a shadow over the pulsating encounter between Parker and Ipswich-born Fabio Wardley at London's O2 Arena on October 25. The bout, which determined the WBO mandatory challenger for undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk, ended in an 11th-round stoppage victory for Wardley.
Parker had put his mandatory challenger status on the line, a position he earned after an impressive six-fight winning streak. This defeat, compounded by the doping violation, could now see the New Zealander sidelined from boxing for a significant period.
The Path Forward and Potential Ban
Despite cocaine not being classified as a performance-enhancing drug in boxing, Parker still faces a standard two-year ban if the findings are upheld by the authorities. The test was administered by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), which notified all relevant parties of the adverse finding.
Parker's promotional company, Queensberry, has acknowledged the situation, releasing a brief statement confirming the VADA notification and stating that no further comment would be made while the matter is under investigation. The boxing world now awaits the outcome of the official inquiry.
