Boxing Dec 07, 2025

Joseph Parker fails drugs test: Heavyweight tested positive for traces of cocaine on day of Fabio Wardley defeat

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Joseph Parker fails drugs test: Heavyweight tested positive for traces of cocaine on day of Fabio Wardley defeat

Joseph Parker could face up to a two-year ban from boxing after a failed drugs test.

Parker's routine test given to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency returned traces of cocaine.

The test was conducted on the day of the New Zealand heavyweight's fight against Fabio Wardley, which the Briton won last month.

The news of Parker's failed test only emerged on Friday.

Frank Warren's Queensbury 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 October 25 in relation to his bout with Fabio Wardley.

"While the matter is investigated further, no additional comment will be made at this time."

Spencer Brown, Parker's UK manager, said: "We are in total shock at the findings. We are just waiting to speak to Joe, David Higgins and his promoter Frank Warren.

"It is very early days and we will get to the bottom of it all."

The British Boxing Board of Control [BBBofC] has told SportNews it is "investigating" the matter.

Parker, 33, is a former world champion, who lost his belt to Anthony Joshua in 2018, but he went into his fight against Wardley in arguably the best form of his career.

After a punishing loss to Joe Joyce in 2022, Parker won his last six contests prior to Wardley, picking up victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, as well as winning the WBO Interim strap.

He was due to challenge then-IBF belt-holder Daniel Dubois in February, only for Dubois to fall ill just days before the fight was meant to take place.

Parker put his position as the WBO mandatory challenger to undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk on the line by taking the fight against Wardley.

It was a gamble that backfired and news of his failed drugs test now leaves major questions over his future in the sport.

SportNews Boxing expert Andy Scott:

"The headline is shocking.

"Everybody loves Joseph Parker. I think he's most people's second-favourite heavyweight. But there were questions as to why take that fight [against Wardley]?

"He was in line to fight [Oleksandr] Usyk. He instead took a risky fight against Wardley, and now this is the headline.

"Not only did he lose the fight, he now has this investigation that he will have to come out of and clear his name.

"For context, Liam Cameron is the high-profile case in boxing with similar circumstances. He received a four-year ban for traces of cocaine, but the rules have changed since then.

"It will be interesting to see how this develops further. There's a full investigation, we'll wait to see what the outcome is of that, but there is a possibility that he's facing a two-year ban."

Tags:

boxing news id:13470155

Share this article

Related Posts

Jake Paul claims he won two rounds and 'wobbled' Anthony Joshua in their controversial heavyweight fight in Miami

Jake Paul claims he won two rounds and 'wobbled' Anthony Joshua in their controversial heavyweight fight in Miami

Jake Paul claims to have won two rounds against Anthony Joshua and says he "wobbled" his opponent before being knocked out in the sixth round in Miami...

Jake Paul had 'serious reality check' against Anthony Joshua in knockout defeat says Johnny Nelson

Jake Paul had 'serious reality check' against Anthony Joshua in knockout defeat says Johnny Nelson

Jake Paul had a "serious reality check" in his knockout loss to Anthony Joshua and will not think he can reach world-class level, says Your Site exper...

Anthony Joshua explains why he needed a year away from boxing before Jake Paul fight as Tyson Fury clash looms

Anthony Joshua explains why he needed a year away from boxing before Jake Paul fight as Tyson Fury clash looms

Anthony Joshua admits he needed time to decide if he wanted to carry on boxing after his knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in 2024. The answer? He does...

Tyson Fury: Eddie Hearn says boxing heavyweight 'still in his prime' and 2026 comeback to fight in ring good news

Tyson Fury: Eddie Hearn says boxing heavyweight 'still in his prime' and 2026 comeback to fight in ring good news

Tyson Fury is still in his "prime" and his return to boxing is great for the sport, says Eddie Hearn.Fury, 37, confirmed at the start of January he wi...

Dalton Smith becomes latest British boxing world champion after knocking out Subriel Matias in Brooklyn for stunning victory

Dalton Smith becomes latest British boxing world champion after knocking out Subriel Matias in Brooklyn for stunning victory

Dalton Smith became Britain's latest boxing world champion after knocking out Subriel Matias in the fifth round in Brooklyn to claim the WBC super-lig...

Anthony Joshua posts first pictures since car crash that killed close friends in Nigeria

Anthony Joshua posts first pictures since car crash that killed close friends in Nigeria

Anthony Joshua has posted his first pictures on social media since the car crash that killed two of his close friends in Nigeria. Joshua was released...