There’s no crime in getting hyped up for a fight, but one particular former champion may have taken it a bit too far.
Joseph Parker, 33, a former boxing champion from New Zealand, failed a drug test for cocaine on October 26, the day of his fight against Britain’s Fabio Wardley at London’s O2 Arena.
The ex-champ was administered the drug test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) on 25 October. The test showed no trace of any performance-enhancing drugs.
Punishments vary based on circumstances, but Parker could face anything ranging from a three-month suspension to a two-year ban. Regardless of the penalty’s duration, the discipline will be imposed by the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC).
Parker had designs on defeating Wardley and setting up a fight with Ukrainian undisputed heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk, and Parker indeed was the betting favorite heading into the match. However, after a promising start in which he dominated Wardley and seemed poised to advance his quest to become a two-time champion, Parker was rocked by a right uppercut in the 10th round and never seemed to regain the advantage.
The New Zealander took a massive risk by accepting the fight with Wardley, considering he was already the number one contender for Usyk. Now, in addition to suffering a fall from the top contending spot and his fourth career defeat, Parker also faces a potentially lengthy ban from the sport.
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