By: Sean Crose
Joseph Parker’s reputation – as well as perhaps his career – is taking a very serious hit. For it’s been reported that the New Zealander had cocaine in his system the day of his fight with Fabio Wardley last month. He almost won the bout but ended up getting knocked out in in the later rounds. Of course, Parker will have his day in court about this so to speak, but if he did have cocaine in his system when he fought Wardley, there’s absolutely zero excuse for his behavior. Boxing isn’t just a dangerous sport. It can be a deadly sport and being motivated by an elicit drug like cocaine and energized by it is nothing but brutally unfair to ones opponent.
According to Queensbury Promotions, which represents and promotes the fighter, “The Voluntary Anti Doing Association last night informed all parties that Joseph Parker returned an adverse finding in relation to his bout with Fabia Wardley…while the matter is investigated further, no additional comments will be made.” The 33-year-old New Zealander could spend years away from the ring as a result of this test. That might put the fighter, who’s already considered past his prime by some, in a position that he couldn’t recover from career-wise. Not that many would have sympathy. With that being said, Parker could ask for a B sample of the test that came back positive. Such requests usually don’t bear fruit, as the results are generally the same. But, this being boxing, one never knows.
Of course, this all makes Wardley’s October 25th performance at the O2 arena all the more impressive. Struggling mightily, the man dug deep and finished Parker off late. As Boxing Insider wrote at the time, “Wardley had truly ground out a gutsy brutal victory against a former world champion who was still very much in the running for another title fight.” Former WBO world titlist Parker was looking to get back into the world championship game when he entered the ring to face Wardley that night. When he walked out of the ring close to an hour later, his career was faltering. Now, with this recent revelation, Parker’s entire career might be in freefall.
What makes this situation odd is that most boxers don’t get caught for using recreational drugs these days (aside from marijuana and its derivatives). Those who test positive generally do so for taking performance enhancing substances, which means the drugs are being ingested simply to improve performance.
