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

Claressa Shields: Caroline Dubois can put people’s lights out - I haven’t become calm enough to do that yet

Claressa Shields: Caroline Dubois can put people’s lights out - I haven’t become calm enough to do that yet

Claressa Shields believes Caroline Dubois can follow in her footsteps and become a multi-weight world champion.American superstar Shields, a two-time...

Anthony Joshua makes first public appearance since close friends' deaths as he attends Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder fight in London

Anthony Joshua makes first public appearance since close friends' deaths as he attends Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder fight in London

Anthony Joshua made his first public appearance since the deaths of close friends Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele as he arrived at O2 Arena to sup...

Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov big-fight predictions: Who wins heavyweight clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?

Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov big-fight predictions: Who wins heavyweight clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?

Lennox Lewis, David Haye, Dillian Whyte and more provide an expert breakdown of Tyson Fury's comeback bout against Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenha...

Caroline Dubois reveals she fell ill on day of fight with Terri Harper | 'I would jump at Katie Taylor fight'

Caroline Dubois reveals she fell ill on day of fight with Terri Harper | 'I would jump at Katie Taylor fight'

Caroline Dubois has revealed she was struck down by an illness on the day of her fight with Terri Harper.Dubois dropped her British rival Harper in th...

Caroline Dubois to be Katie Taylor's 'last dancer partner'? | 'She’s the one that holds all the cards - it's up to her'

Caroline Dubois to be Katie Taylor's 'last dancer partner'? | 'She’s the one that holds all the cards - it's up to her'

Caroline Dubois wouldn't hesitate to box Katie Taylor in the Irish superstar’s retirement fight.But the newly unified WBC and WBO lightweight world ch...

Tyson Fury will fight Anthony Joshua this year, says Spencer Brown, promoter of comeback bout against Arslankbek Makhmudov

Tyson Fury will fight Anthony Joshua this year, says Spencer Brown, promoter of comeback bout against Arslankbek Makhmudov

Tyson Fury will fight Anthony Joshua this year, manager Spencer Brown tells Sky Sports.Brown is also the promoter of Fury's comeback bout against Arsl...