Former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker tested positive for a cocaine metabolite following his fight against Deion Jumah on Saturday, raising questions about his boxing future and potentially jeopardizing a planned title shot. The positive test, revealed by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), casts a shadow over Parker’s recent victory and the trajectory of the heavyweight division.
The 32-year-old New Zealand boxer had been positioned as a potential challenger to undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, initially slated to face Usyk before an injury prompted a bout with Jumah. The outcome of Parker’s fight with Jumah was intended to determine usyk’s next opponent, but now faces scrutiny as Parker awaits potential sanctions.
Parker previously held the WBO Heavyweight championship, compiling a 24-0 record before suffering a loss to Anthony Joshua in 2018. His career record currently stands at 36-4, having most recently served as the WBO interim Heavyweight champion sence defeating Zhilei Zhang in March.
The positive test emerged after Parker requested a delay to his scheduled fight with Usyk due to an injury, leading to the bout against Jumah. While British fighter David Wardley is now expected to challenge Usyk, Parker’s career hangs in the balance pending the full investigation and any resulting penalties from VADA.
