New Zealand's Joseph Parker Could Receive Imminent Disqualification Following Positive Drugs Test
Former world champion Parker returned an adverse finding during a doping test administered the same day of his 11th-round defeat against English fighter Fabio Wardley.
The Match Plus the Consequences
Fabio Wardley together with Joseph Parker engaged in an intense encounter staged in the UK capital in late October to determine who would become WBO mandatory challenger facing reigning heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.
Parker was previously next in line to face the champion subsequent to putting together a notable six wins in a row, yet risked his shot at the title at stake during the bout and experienced an 11th-round defeat.
Failed Examination Plus Potential Consequences
A routine test conducted on the boxer by Vada on the day of the bout came back positive and leaves Parker in a difficult position to demonstrate his cleanliness.
His promotion team published an announcement which read: "The anti-doping body notified everyone involved that Joseph Parker returned an adverse finding after a drug screening conducted on the 25th October. While the matter is investigated, no additional comment are planned currently."
Boxing Journey
Parker was crowned heavyweight champion back in 2016 prior to he lost his championship belt through a points decision to Anthony Joshua in Wales 24 months later.
Parker has been a regular competitor across the United Kingdom after that, having eight matches overall in Britain and moving to Ireland for training camps alongside esteemed mentor former champion Lee during this period.
Recent Developments
Guided by Lee, the boxer recovered from his 2022 loss to Joe Joyce to achieve multiple wins that placed him as the top contender to challenge the champion until he lost against Wardley.
After Parker returned an adverse finding on the day of the Wardley fight, reportedly involving cocaine, an inquiry regarding the results has been started.
- The boxer failed a drug test for a prohibited substance.
- The test was conducted via the anti-doping agency on October 25th.
- Parker could receive disciplinary action from the sport.
- Queensberry published a comment addressing the failed examination.
- A formal inquiry is now ongoing about the situation.
