Reporting note: this article draws on Sky Sports; LodiScore provides the summary and editorial framing.
Heavyweight Contender Free to Resume Career Following VADA Investigation
Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker is clear to return to professional boxing after his provisional suspension was formally lifted following a failed drug test last October.
Parker, 34, tested positive for traces of cocaine in a routine sample collected by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) on the night of his 11th-round stoppage defeat against Britain's Fabio Wardley at The O2 in London. The New Zealand heavyweight, who consistently denied knowingly ingesting any banned substance, faced a potential ban of up to two years under anti-doping regulations.
The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) confirmed the decision to lift the suspension, though General Secretary Robert Smith declined to provide further comment while final administrative processes conclude.
"I'm pleased to confirm my provisional suspension is lifted and I'll be back in the ring soon," Parker announced. "I've been advised to say no more for now while details are finalised. Thank you to all my supporters."
Rebuilding After the Wardley Stoppage
The October loss to Wardley halted what had been a dominant resurgence for the former WBO titlist. After suffering an 11th-round knockout against Joe Joyce in 2022, Parker reconstructed his tactical approach, stringing together six consecutive victories. That sequence included tactical, disciplined decisions over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, earning him the WBO interim belt.
Parker was initially slated to face then-IBF champion Daniel Dubois in February before an eleventh-hour illness ruled Dubois out. Parker subsequently risked his mandatory status for Oleksandr Usyk's undisputed crown against Wardley, where structural damage and a grueling 11th-round assault led to the referee halting the contest.
Next Steps for the Heavyweight Division
With the suspension resolved, Parker re-enters an active heavyweight landscape. Formal details regarding his return fixture and licensed jurisdiction will be confirmed once paperwork between his promotional team and regulatory bodies is finalized.
The grey weave of the ring mat showed dull slate beneath the dried, maroon crustings along the neutral corner.
