LONDON: Former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker denied taking any prohibited substance and said his failed drug test from last month’s loss to Fabio Wardley was “a real surprise.”
The New Zealander’s voluntary anti-doping test conducted on the day of the bout returned an adverse finding, promotions company Queensberry announced on Friday.
Wardley stopped Parker in the 11th round at the O2 Arena in London on Oct. 25 in a fight to determine who would become the WBO mandatory challenger to undisputed world champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“Before my recent fight I took a voluntary test and have now been informed that it returned an adverse result. This came as a real surprise to me,” Parker said early Saturday in a statement on Instagram.
“I did not take any prohibited substance, I do not use performance enhancing drugs and do not support their use,” he continued. “I am cooperating fully with the process now underway, and I am confident the investigation will clear my name.”
The 33-year-old Parker faces a potential lengthy ban by the British Boxing Board of Control.
“Thank you to everyone who has sent messages of support. It means a great deal to me and my family,” Parker’s statement added. “When the investigation is complete, I will speak openly and answer questions.”
On Friday, Queensberry said the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association had informed all parties of the adverse finding. The promotions company said it won’t make any other comments “while the matter is investigated further.”
Parker won the WBO title in December 2016 when he beat Andy Ruiz Jr. on a majority decision. He then lost the belt to Anthony Joshua by a unanimous decision in late March 2018 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
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Former champion boxer Joseph Parker denies taking ‘any prohibited substance’
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Former champion boxer Joseph Parker denies taking ‘any prohibited substance’
- “Before my recent fight I took a voluntary test and have now been informed that it returned an adverse result,” Parker said
- The 33-year-old Parker faces a potential lengthy ban by the British Boxing Board of Control
England ‘not fearing anything’ against India, says Curran
England will take on the favorites and hosts in front of 35,000 fiercely partisan fans in Mumbai on Thursday
Curran said that because he and many of his England teammates play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), they will not be fazed
MUMBAI: England will go into their T20 World Cup semifinal against India with no fear, said all-rounder Sam Curran on Tuesday, adding that their first job would be to silence a raucous home crowd.
England will take on the favorites and hosts in front of 35,000 fiercely partisan fans in Mumbai on Thursday, with a place in the final against South Africa or New Zealand at stake.
The noise will be deafening at times in the cauldron-like confines of the Wankhede Stadium.
But Curran said that because he and many of his England teammates — such as Will Jacks at Mumbai Indians — play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), they will not be fazed.
“It’s an experience as a young cricketer you dream of — playing India in the semifinal of a World Cup,” left-arm seamer Curran told reporters.
Curran was in the international wilderness a year ago but forced his way back into the England squad with eye-catching performances in T20 franchise leagues, including the IPL.
“India are a quality side but we’ve played a lot of cricket here. We know how to play on these grounds and we know what to expect,” he said.
“The IPL, no question, has helped a lot. Having played in the ground many times, there’s not many unknowns.”
England experienced a hostile crowd at the Wankhede in their first match of the tournament when they beat Nepal in a final-ball thriller.
It was Curran who bowled the nerveless final “death” over, conceding just five runs when Nepal needed 10, to stave off an embarrassing defeat.
He then repeated the feat against Italy and has contributed with the bat from number six, scoring 149 runs so far with a best of 43 not out.
“We’re not fearing anything and I’m sure both teams are really excited by the challenge,” Curran said, adding England could judge how well they were playing by the volume of the fans.
“If the crowd are silent, England are probably going to be doing well. That’s our positive way of looking at it,” said Curran.
It is the third T20 World Cup in a row that England will have played India in the semifinals and each time the winners went on to lift the trophy.
In 2022, England crushed India by 10 wickets in Adelaide and went on to beat Pakistan in the Melbourne final.
Two years ago India won in Guyana by a similarly dominant 68 runs before downing South Africa in Barbados.
South Africa face New Zealand in the first semifinal on Wednesday. The final will take place on Sunday in Ahmedabad.
“I guess this is what the last four or five weeks have been building for,” said Curran.
“And hopefully we can take one more step toward the final.”
Curran said that because he and many of his England teammates play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), they will not be fazed
MUMBAI: England will go into their T20 World Cup semifinal against India with no fear, said all-rounder Sam Curran on Tuesday, adding that their first job would be to silence a raucous home crowd.
England will take on the favorites and hosts in front of 35,000 fiercely partisan fans in Mumbai on Thursday, with a place in the final against South Africa or New Zealand at stake.
The noise will be deafening at times in the cauldron-like confines of the Wankhede Stadium.
But Curran said that because he and many of his England teammates — such as Will Jacks at Mumbai Indians — play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), they will not be fazed.
“It’s an experience as a young cricketer you dream of — playing India in the semifinal of a World Cup,” left-arm seamer Curran told reporters.
Curran was in the international wilderness a year ago but forced his way back into the England squad with eye-catching performances in T20 franchise leagues, including the IPL.
“India are a quality side but we’ve played a lot of cricket here. We know how to play on these grounds and we know what to expect,” he said.
“The IPL, no question, has helped a lot. Having played in the ground many times, there’s not many unknowns.”
England experienced a hostile crowd at the Wankhede in their first match of the tournament when they beat Nepal in a final-ball thriller.
It was Curran who bowled the nerveless final “death” over, conceding just five runs when Nepal needed 10, to stave off an embarrassing defeat.
He then repeated the feat against Italy and has contributed with the bat from number six, scoring 149 runs so far with a best of 43 not out.
“We’re not fearing anything and I’m sure both teams are really excited by the challenge,” Curran said, adding England could judge how well they were playing by the volume of the fans.
“If the crowd are silent, England are probably going to be doing well. That’s our positive way of looking at it,” said Curran.
It is the third T20 World Cup in a row that England will have played India in the semifinals and each time the winners went on to lift the trophy.
In 2022, England crushed India by 10 wickets in Adelaide and went on to beat Pakistan in the Melbourne final.
Two years ago India won in Guyana by a similarly dominant 68 runs before downing South Africa in Barbados.
South Africa face New Zealand in the first semifinal on Wednesday. The final will take place on Sunday in Ahmedabad.
“I guess this is what the last four or five weeks have been building for,” said Curran.
“And hopefully we can take one more step toward the final.”
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