Joseph Parker Facing Ban After Failing Drugs Test On Day Of Wardley Fight

Joseph Parker grounded a narcotics trial connected nan time of his 11th-round stoppage to British heavyweight Fabio Wardley.

Ipswich-born Wardley and New Zealander Parker produced a pulsating encounter successful London connected 25 October to find who would go WBO mandatory challenger to undisputed world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Parker had been adjacent successful statement to look Usyk aft putting together an awesome six-fight winning streak, but put his mandatory challenger position connected nan statement successful London and suffered an 11th-round stoppage successful what could now beryllium his past conflict for a lengthy play of time.

A regular trial by Parker fixed to nan Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (Vada) connected nan time of nan bout returned affirmative and leaves nan 36-year-old pinch a conflict to beryllium his innocence.

Parker’s promotional institution Queensberry released a connection connected Friday morning, which read: “[Vada] past nighttime informed each required parties that Joseph Parker returned an adverse uncovering pursuing an anti-doping trial conducted connected nan 25th October successful narration to his bout pinch Fabio Wardley. While nan matter is investigated further, nary further remark will beryllium made astatine this time.”

Auckland-born Parker go world champion successful 2016 earlier he mislaid his WBO loop by unanimous determination to Anthony Joshua astatine nan Millennium Stadium successful Cardiff 2 years later. Parker has been a predominant visitant to these shores since, fighting 8 times successful full successful nan UK and relocating to Dublin for training camps pinch highly regarded trainer Andy Lee successful caller years.

Under nan tutelage of Lee, Parker recovered from his 2022 nonaccomplishment to Joe Joyce to chalk up a drawstring of victories which put him beforehand of nan queue to look Usyk earlier he suffered conclusion to Wardley. After Parker returned a affirmative trial connected nan time of nan Wardley fight, reportedly for cocaine, an investigation into nan findings has been started.