Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker has rejected a positive cocaine test taken on the day of his October loss to Britain’s Fabio Wardley, after promoter Queensberry confirmed an adverse VADA finding that could see him banned from boxing.
Parker says he is “shocked” by the result, insists he has never taken prohibited substances, and is cooperating fully with the investigation, expressing confidence his name will be cleared.
The test result adds to uncertainty around the 33-year-old’s career, which was already in doubt after his 11th-round TKO loss in a fight he had been leading on points, with the winner positioned for a future shot at Oleksandr Usyk’s world title.
