Fabio Wardley’s thrilling win over Joseph Parker in October not only cemented his status as one of the world’s leading heavyweights, it soon earned him a world title. The Ipswich fighter continued his remarkable rise by stopping Parker in the 11th round at London’s O2 Arena.
Weeks later Wardley’s career took another leap when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the WBO belt, elevating Wardley from interim titleholder to full world champion.
Before the good news arrived, Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KOs) learned that Parker had tested positive for cocaine on the day of their fight — a result produced through a voluntary test on October 25. The revelation shocked the industry, given the regard in which the New Zealander is held and his reputation as one of the sport’s more popular professionals.
While cocaine is classed as a recreational drug rather than a performance-enhancing substance, Parker could still face a ban if found guilty. Parker (36-4, 24 KOs) has denied any wrongdoing and vowed to clear his name.
Wardley has remained tight-lipped, but speaking to IFL TV the new champion offered this response:
“No, I’ll allow him to go through his process. So, I’m not here to make any judgments before anything’s out because we’ve seen how this thing goes sometimes. Nothing for me to comment on now until everything’s all finalised, ticked off, the [governing] bodies do their jobs and they come up with a final report or findings and then maybe I’ll have something to say. But until then, just let him go through his process.”
Wardley also revealed that his first defence will be a voluntary, and that he will meet promoter Frank Warren to determine his options for a return he hopes will land in March or April.
