Joseph Parker tested positive for cocaine.
The previous world heavyweight champion had been in the shape of his life leading as much as his recent showdown with Fabio Wardley, where the 33-year-old had his six-fight winning run snapped in shocking fashion.
Wardley finished Parker in round 11 of their WBO interim heavyweight title fight, dealing a serious blow to the Recent Zealander’s hopes to challenge Oleksandr Usyk.
After a controversial stoppage led to a defeat in that memorable fight in England’s capital, things have gone from bad to worse for Parker.
It was recently revealed that the previous WBO heavyweight champ failed a medication test on the day of his match with Wardley, having tested positive for cocaine. That news was first reported by SunSport.
Parker is now facing an uncertain future, with a lengthy ban potentially awaiting him.
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Joseph Parker is facing a two-year ban after testing positive for cocaine
Sources near Parker’s team expressed to Ring Magazine their dismay and surprise on the findings, which got here consequently of a routine pre-fight test by the Voluntary Anti Doping Agency (VADA) on October 25.
The Kiwi could now decide to have his B-sample tested, although within the overwhelming majority of cases that shows the identical results because the A-sample.
Following VADA’s findings, the potential ban can be handed down by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC).
The UKAD website outlines the severity of bans depending on the circumstances, with the utmost four-year period of ineligibility being dished out to those that are deemed to have intentionally cheated. With cocaine being a recreational drug relatively than a performance-enhancing one, that won’t be on the cards for Parker.
Which means the 33-year-old, who lost his world title to Anthony Joshua back in 2018, is facing a ban of as much as two years. Aspects corresponding to proof that Parker was not at fault or showed no negligence that resulted within the drug-test failure could reduce a possible suspension to only a number of months.
| Context of failed drugs test | Period of ineligibility |
| Intention to cheat | 4 years |
| No intention to cheat | Two years |
| No intention to cheat, no significant fault or negligence | Minimum one 12 months |
| Violation involves a specified substance of contaminated product, no significant fault | Can range from a reprimand to 2 years |
| No fault or negligence | Potential for no ban |
Ex-commonwealth middleweight boxing champion Liam Cameron was handed a four-year ban six years ago after he tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolic acid of cocaine.
The recent change in the principles may benefit Parker and leave him in an identical situation as Rugby League player Adam Rusling in 2024. UKAD gave him a three-month period of ineligibility for testing for cocaine and MDMA.
Frank Warren’s Queensbury Promotions released an announcement regarding Parker’s failed drugs test on X.
“The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association [VADA] last night informed all required parties that Joseph Parker returned an hostile finding following an anti-doping test conducted on October 25 in relation to his bout with Fabio Wardley.
“While the matter is investigated further, no additional comment will likely be made right now.”
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No investigation into the Joseph Parker vs. Fabio Wardley stoppage
The revelation of Parker’s failed drugs test comes just sooner or later after his team received another disappointing news.
Despite the controversy surrounding the referee’s decision to intervene within the eleventh round, the British Boxing Board of Control won’t be investigating the stoppage in Parker’s loss to Wardley.
BBBofC general secretary Robert Smith recently explained that call to Boxing Scene.
“If that had been the primary or second round and it was the primary time that Parker was hurt it’s a special matter and a special story,” he said.
“But I assumed the stoppage was bang on. It was a protracted and gruelling fight, Parker had been hurt several times, and was probably not throwing back.”