ANTHONY JOSHUA VS TYSON FURY ROW RESOLVED AFTER FIGHT PLUNGED INTO DOUBT

Joshua and Fury are due to meet in London on Wednesday to face the media for the first time since their heavyweight showdown was announced last week

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Anthony Joshua will face off with Tyson Fury tomorrow after Fury enrolled in drug testing.

Joshua and Fury are due to meet in London on Wednesday to face the media for the first time since their heavyweight showdown was announced last week. But a bitter row between Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn and UFC boss Dana White had plunged the fight - set for Cardiff on December 11 - into doubt.

White, who also runs Zuffa Boxing was officially named as a promoter alongside The Ring, which is owned by Saudi Arabian powerbroker Turki Alalshikh. Fury claimed on Saturday that Hearn and Joshua were trying to pull out and, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fury put the chances of a fight going ahead at one per cent.

He said: “If you’ve got a guy that wants to fight, and you’ve got a guy that doesn’t want to fight, then how are you going to make that fight happen?” Speaking to Sky Sports after Johnny Fisher’s victory at the Copper Box on Saturday, White refused to back down. “I’m involved in the fight,” he said.

“If Eddie Hearn really cared about this fight, first of all it would have happened a long time ago, number one. Number two, he could finance the thing himself. The guy who’s supposed to be helping the fight has been hurting the fight the entire time. We’ll all know more in the next three or four days.”

Hearn and Joshua also had concerns over when Fury was going to enrol in drug testing with VADA. Joshua's contract stated Fury would do so seamlessly after his win over Arslanbek Makhmudov in April, but Fury's team insisted they would enrol when their fight with Joshua was finalised.

And Fury finally did so on Monday night as both fighters headed to London from their training camps. Fury has been preparing in Miami while Joshua has been training in Dubai. UFC boss White is not expected to be at the press conference having struggled to answer basic questions about the fight last weekend.

- Martin Domin

ANTHONY JOSHUA SHARES PRIVATE EMAIL FROM DOPING AGRNCY ASKING FOR TYSON FURY'S WHEREABOUTS

Anthony Joshua shared the email communication to his Snapchat story earlier this morning.

Anthony Joshua has shared a private email communication from VADA to his Snapchat story, in which the doping association’s President sought details regarding Tyson Fury’s whereabouts.

The shared email arrived after Fury uploaded a post-training session video to Instagram on Monday, captioned: “Coming for you AJ, if you ever grow a pair and fight.”

Joshua shared the VADA email to his public Snapchat story on Tuesday morning, with the doping association’s President seeking enrollment from the Gypsy King, and his whereabouts form.

Anthony Joshua shares VADA President email concerning Tyson Fury’s whereabouts

VADA, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, did not suggest Fury had failed a doping test. Instead, the association’s President simply asked: “Is Mr. Fury going to enroll?”

“Typically, we enroll opponents at the same time,” continued the email. “We also need the whereabouts form to enroll either fighter.”

Joshua captioned the email screenshot: “I’m not accusing [Tyson Fury] of anything,” ahead of their slated December 11 bout. The fight’s date, venue and time are yet to be confirmed.

By completing a whereabouts form, VADA would be able to locate an athlete, in this case, Fury, to complete an unannounced, out-of-competition sample collection.

The form would likely ask for Fury’s home addresses, training locations, any pre-existing travel arrangements, and availability windows.

However, as Joshua’s shared email communication implies, Fury has not provided VADA with such information, ahead of the pair’s long-awaited clash.

The Gypsy King is yet to respond publicly to Joshua’s post, and there remains no indication that Fury has failed, or declined to participate in a VADA testing.

Ahead of their battle, tentatively set to take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Eddie Hearn previously raised questions regarding Fury’s testing timeline.

Hearn, head of Matchroom Boxing’s division and ‘AJ’ promoter, revealed that Fury’s contract appeared to lack the testing obligation contained in Joshua’s agreement.

As a result, Fury, unlike his British opponent, might not be contractually required to enrol with VADA at the same stage as Joshua.

Hearn also revealed that he believes the Gypsy King is “fearful” of Joshua, claiming: “He’s afraid to lose. I think he knows the physical presence of Joshua, as well.

“It will be a real handful for him. And any advantage he can get, he’s going to try and get, [because] that’s what he’s like,” concluded the Matchroom Boxing promoter.

Tyson Fury hits out at 'poppadom chin' Anthony Joshua via Instagram

After seemingly endless back-and-forths between Fury and Joshua’s camps, amid perpetual disagreement regarding the Netflix event’s venue, the Gypsy King broke his short-lived silence on Monday.

“Just finished a brutal session in the gym here,” began Fury. “Training like a Trojan warrior. It’s alright, Joshua, I know you’re afraid. But I won’t hurt you, I’ll make it quick.

“I’ll make it a quick KO, so you can get back to your business of being a landlord. I’ll make it very fast, and I’ll make it pain-free for you and your team, and Eddie [Hearn].

“I promise not to hurt [you] too bad. It’ll be swift… You’ll know who the spartan is. If he ever gets the guts, because, at the minute, I hear he’s yellow.

“He’s running around yellow, like a little coward. That’s what he is. White flag, where are you, white flag? You big, useless dosser. Paper chin, poppadom chin. Silly, useless piece of s***,” concluded Fury.

As it stands, the two Englishmen are set to face in Cardiff, after weeks of venue confusion. Joshua’s camp held to the UK-based provision in his fight contract, while New York was briefly suggested by Netflix.

Their bout is slated to take place on Friday, December 11, however, this match-up remains anything but straightforward.

- Kedar Bayley

JOSEPH PARKER FACES POSSIBLE TWO YEAR SUSPENSION AFTER COCAINE APPEARS IN PRE FIGHT TESTING

A pre fight test collected on the day of the Fabio Wardley contest reportedly detected cocaine, creating uncertainty about Joseph Parker’s immediate future in the heavyweight division.

Joseph Parker - Image credit @joeboxerparker Instagram

Joseph Parker, New Zealand’s former WBO interim heavyweight champion, is facing a possible boxing suspension after a pre-fight drug test returned positive for cocaine. The sample was collected by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) on October 25, the same day Parker fought Fabio Wardley at London’s O2 Arena.

Traces of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine were detected. This substance can remain in the system for approximately four days, suggesting exposure occurred during fight week.

Parker’s promoter David Higgins and VADA have been contacted for comment. Parker is currently on holiday and has not responded publicly.

B-Sample And Regulatory Process

Parker can request his B-sample be tested, though historically these results match the A-sample. The Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency findings will be reviewed by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC).

Cocaine, classified as a recreational drug rather than performance-enhancing, could result in a maximum two-year suspension. If Parker proves no negligence or intent, the ban could be reduced to a shorter period.

The 33-year-old has a distinguished career, facing top heavyweights including Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, and Dillian Whyte. Parker lost to Joshua and Whyte in 2018 but defeated Wilder in 2023.

Parker captured the WBO interim heavyweight title in 2024 by defeating Zhilei Zhang, recovering from two knockdowns to secure the decision. He was scheduled to fight then-IBF champion Daniel Dubois in February 2025, but Dubois withdrew due to illness. Parker instead defended his interim title against Martin Bakole, stopping him in two rounds.

Parker entered the Wardley fight as a favorite but was stopped in the 11th round. The result caused some controversy, as many believed the referee ended the bout prematurely, and Parker was leading on points at the time.

Prior to Wardley, Parker was positioned as a leading contender to face undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2026. His loss now complicates that trajectory.

Statement From Promotions

Queensberry Promotions, led by Frank Warren, released a brief statement regarding the failed test:

“The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association [VADA] last night informed all required parties that Joseph Parker returned an adverse finding following an anti-doping test conducted on October 25 in relation to his bout with Fabio Wardley. While the matter is investigated further, no additional comment will be made at this time.”

Parker’s positive test comes amid a period of resurgence. After a 2022 loss to Joe Joyce, he won six consecutive bouts, including victories over Wilder, Zhang, and Bakole, re-establishing himself as a top contender.

With Usyk recovering from injury and Wardley now emerging as a leading contender, Parker’s suspension could delay his return to title contention. Despite this setback, Parker has indicated he intends to continue competing once eligible, leaving the door open for potential high-profile matchups in the heavyweight division.

- Jake Blend

BOXER RYAN GARCIA TESTED POSITIVE FOR BANNED SUBSTANCE OSTARINE

 Star boxer Ryan Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance ostarine the day before and the day of his upset win over Devin Haney last month, per a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association letter sent to all parties Wednesday and obtained by ESPN.

The urine samples were collected prior to the fight, but the results weren't known until later.

Garcia has 10 days to request that his B-sample be tested. Garcia's A-sample also screened positive for 19-norandrosterone, but its presence is unconfirmed until further lab analysis.

"Everybody knows that I don't cheat," Garcia said in a video posted on X. "Never taken a steroid. ... I don't even know where to get steroids. ... I barely take supplements. Big lies, I beat his ass."

Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions said in a statement that it is working with Garcia's team to "determine how this finding came to be."

"Ryan has put out multiple statements denying knowingly using any banned substances -- and we believe him," Golden Boy said in its statement.

Garcia, 25, floored Haney three times and won by majority decision, but that result now stands to be overturned unless the B-sample returns negative, which is rare.

"We learned about this situation not too long ago and it's unfortunate Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive not once, but twice," Haney said in a statement to ESPN.

"... Ryan owes the fans an apology, and by his recent tweet he still thinks this is a joke. We put our lives on the line to entertain people for a living. You don't play boxing. This puts the fight in a completely different light. Despite the disadvantage, I still fought on my shield and got back up! People die in this sport. This isn't a joking matter."

Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) also missed weight ahead of the fight, registering 143.2 pounds for the WBC 140-pound title fight. Garcia paid Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) upward of $600,000 for his failure to make weight. It also meant Garcia was ineligible to win the title, though he rose to No. 2 in ESPN's junior welterweight rankings following the major upset.

Haney, who fights out of Las Vegas, remained the junior welterweight champion even in defeat. He fell to No. 4 in ESPN's 140-pound rankings and lost his pound-for-pound recognition after being ranked No. 6 by ESPN going into the fight.

"Safety, fairness, and integrity in professional athletic competition are essential," the New York State Athletic Commission said in a statement to ESPN. "The Commission is in communication with VADA and is reviewing the matter."

Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator that attaches to proteins in the body and effectively tells muscles to grow. It is used to aid performance by helping athletes build muscle mass and enhance their rate of fat loss and also to increase stamina and recovery ability.

It has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list since 2008 and in 2022 was listed as an anabolic agent by WADA.

Ostarine has been used in boxing before. Lucian Bute tested positive for it in 2016 following a draw with Badou Jack in their WBC super middleweight title fight. The result was changed to a DQ win for Jack.

Amir Khan was handed a two-year ban by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) after he tested positive for ostarine following his sixth-round TKO loss to Kell Brook in 2022.

Haney was a -900 favorite, according to ESPN BET, but he closed at -575 after Garcia missed weight. The slick-boxing Haney, the former undisputed lightweight champion, had never been knocked down entering the fight, but Garcia deposited him on the canvas in Rounds 7, 10 and 11 with his lightning-quick left hook to pull out the victory.

The win was a career-altering performance for Garcia, who has never won a world title but boasts a massive social media presence with more than 12 million followers on Instagram. His lone career defeat came via seventh-round TKO vs. Gervonta Davis last April.

Haney defeated future Hall of Famer Vasiliy Lomachenko last May to retain his four 135-pound titles. He made his 140-pound debut in December with a shutout decision victory over Regis Prograis to win the WBC junior welterweight title.

- Mike Coppinger, ESPN