Joseph Parker tests positive for cocaine, faces 2-year ban

Joseph Parker reacts after his defeat by TKO to Fabio Wardley at The O2 Arena in London. (Symbolic image) (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images) Getty Images

Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker faces a potential two-year ban from boxing after testing positive for cocaine. The 33-year-old New Zealander failed a drug test administered by the Voluntary Anti Doping Agency on October 25, the day of his fight against Fabio Wardley at London's O2 Arena.

Parker lost the bout via an 11th-round stoppage despite being ahead on the scorecards. The fight was meant to determine who would face undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk next. The adverse finding detected cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine, which typically remains in urine for around four days, suggesting contact with the drug occurred during fight week.

A source close to Parker's team told The Sun: «I am absolutely shocked. This has been the first camp where Joe has all of his family around. The camp had gone great and he put on a good performance in a great fight.» How the substance entered Parker's system remains unclear.

What happens next

Parker's team can request B-sample testing, though such samples typically confirm the initial result. The Voluntary Anti Doping Agency will present its findings to the British Boxing Board of Control, which will determine the punishment. UK Anti-Doping will conduct its own investigation. Cocaine is classified as a recreational drug rather than a performance-enhancing substance, but it is strictly prohibited during competition. Penalties for similar violations have varied from three months to four years.

Parker won the WBO heavyweight title in 2016 by defeating Andy Ruiz Jr. and successfully defended it twice. His championship reign ended in 2018 when Anthony Joshua defeated him in Cardiff. The father of six has since rebuilt his career with notable victories, including wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Before his loss to Wardley, Parker had told Sky Sports: «I've been wanting a rematch with Joshua. I want to avenge those losses. I know AJ's another big fight, I don't really care who I fight, just make sure it's someone who's top five in the world.»

Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).