Joseph Parker, the former WBO heavyweight champion, is facing a potential ban following an adverse drug test result that surfaced on the day of his fight against Fabio Wardley last month. Queensberry Promotions subsequently announced the news. This has led to appalling questions about the integrity of the sport and the very suspicious nature of Parker’s outstanding performance this past weekend.
Parker became the first fighter from New Zealand to win a world championship in 2016, claiming the WBO heavyweight title. He defeated Mexican pugilist Andy Ruiz for the now vacant belt. Anthony Joshua from the U.K. took the title from him in 2018, ending his reign. This extremely competitive contest proved to be the end of Klitschko’s dominance, as it anointed Joshua (to many observers) as the new kingpin of heavyweight boxing.
Last month, Parker lost to Fabio Wardley at London’s O2 Arena in a long-awaited WBO “Interim” showdown. Parker battled Heroic in an impressive slugfest, but came up just short—losing by KO in the 11th round. It was a frustrating finish for the Kiwi combatant.
Everything changed in a major, major way. In addition, Parker’s recent positive in a drug test administered by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) has come to light.
“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 the 25th October in relation to his bout with Fabio Wardley,” – Queensberry Promotions.
If this negative finding is upheld, the consequences for Parker would be severe, perhaps culminating in a lifetime prohibition from the sport. This decision will have a powerful effect on his future career. Its effect on his soon-to-be-forthcoming bout against Ukraine’s undisputed world champion, Oleksandr Usyk.
The boxing community will be watching the next steps with great interest. This case underscores the need for anti-doping actions to make sure athletes compete fairly and stay healthy. The result from this ongoing investigation will certainly send shockwaves throughout the sport. Perhaps more importantly, it would provide a powerful precedent for similar cases going forward.
