Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has reportedly failed a drugs test conducted on October 25, the same day he suffered a surprising defeat to Fabio Wardley in London, his promoter confirmed on Friday.
The 33-year-old New Zealander was stopped in the 11th round by British contender Wardley, a loss that also cost him his position as the WBO mandatory challenger for undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
In a statement, Queensberry Promotions said, “The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) last night informed all required parties that Joseph Parker returned an adverse finding following an anti-doping test conducted on 25 October in relation to his bout with Fabio Wardley. While the matter is investigated further, no additional comment will be made at this time.”
While an initial report from UK tabloid The Sun suggested Parker tested positive for cocaine, this has not been officially confirmed.
Parker had been on track for a potential showdown with Usyk after compiling six consecutive wins, including victories over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, and Martin Bakole. However, the anti-doping finding could result in a suspension depending on the investigation’s outcome.
Parker first captured the WBO heavyweight title in 2016 but lost it two years later to Anthony Joshua by unanimous decision in Cardiff.
