Former heavyweight champion cleared to make ring return.
When Joseph Parker headed into his fight with Fabio Wardley last October, he was considered probably the most in-form heavyweight in the world and the most deserving challenger to Oleksandr Usyk’s unified championship.
While waiting for his opportunity to arrive, Parker made a risky decision: for the purpose of staying active, he chose to have a fight in the meantime, risking both his interim status with the WBO and his ongoing momentum.
And he didn’t choose an easy opponent, either. No, he chose to face Fabio Wardley, the then-undefeated WBA interim champion with 18 knockouts in his 19 wins.
But while Wardley was a dangerous puncher with extreme toughness and a deadly killer instinct, it was thought that Parker’s superior experience at the highest level (especially having previously been the WBO world champion) and his technical ability would see him over the line.
In the end, though, that turned out to not be the case. And though it was a terrific fight that Parker was ahead in, Wardley would ultimately emerge the victor via a debated 11th-round stoppage.
To add insult to injury, Wardley would end up being upgraded to full WBO champion upon Oleksandr Usyk vacating his belt and Parker would fail a drug test for cocaine.
Following this, there was a long period of uncertainty regarding Parker and where his career would go, especially given the punishment that could come as a result of his positive test.
Now, however, it has been confirmed that the New Zealander has been cleared to fight again after his suspension was lifted earlier today by UK Anti-Doping.
Now that he can return to the ring, it is expected that fight news will be announced for Parker soon, and there are a number of very interesting fights he could potentially appear in.
Joseph Parker has officially had his provisional UKAD suspension lifted and has been cleared to return to the ring.
Parker was suspended for testing positive for cocaine on the day of his stoppage defeat to Fabio Wardley. pic.twitter.com/mgrFb8yaub
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) August 5, 2026
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