It is not uncommon to see current heavyweight boxers accuse Anthony Joshua of using performance enhancing drugs.
Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker have made the claim that ‘AJ’ is on the juice but the undisputed fact still remains that the WBA, IBF & IBO World heavyweight champion has never failed a drug test during his career, unlike many others in his division.
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The most recent jab came from the WBO champion who called Joshua ‘the king of steroids.’
”They call me the king of pies, but I call him the king of steroids.
“Who knows, if you are that big and that muscly, there’s something wrong.
”I have heard word, I have looked at him and I have seen,” said Parker in a radio interview.
The Kiwi has since apologised for his comments.
“Bit too far with that one. Shouldn’t have said it. Will fix that up at some stage,” Parker stated on social media.
The steroid talk is nothing new to Team Joshua. Promoter Eddie Hearn touched on the subject in a recent interview and applauded the current drug testing program in Britain.
Joshua gets tested on a steady basis according to Hearn.
“The main problem, I feel, is in other countries but Britain is doing well. We have the UKAD random testing. It means Joshua was tested six times in the build-up to his last camp. Other fighters are getting knocks on the door at 3am for testing,” Hearn said in an interview with The Independent.
The promoter was happy that testing has increased and said the difference between now and before is ‘night and day.’
“I really believe it’s a problem that’s being solved. Where we are now compared to two or three years ago is night and day,” Hearn continued.
“In America, or other countries, there is no testing at all other than around the event, although that is changing,” added the promoter.
Governing bodies are taking drug testing more seriously in this day and age but there are still some who haven’t totally adapted to the current program. Hearn wished that all bodies would ‘follow suit’.
“When you’re in the WBC rankings, to stay in there, you have to sign up to the random testing programme, same with the WBA. It’s pretty much as extensive as the Ukad system. Whereabouts is part of the testing programme which tells the testers where you are.
“You can’t just go on holiday for two weeks and not get tested. They can turn up everywhere.
“I think what we’re seeing from the governing bodies is that they are really stepping up their game on the testing processes. Both the WBC and the WBA now have random VADA testing and the only way you’re going to catch these people really is through random testing. Hopefully the WBO and IBF follow suit so there are no gaps,” said Hearn.
However, Hearn still understood the fact that drug cheating is still an issue in boxing. The promoter has hopes that strict random testing will solve the problem.
“The issue is certainly not as developed and extensive as cheating in cycling but some of these fighters are dealing with doctors who will know how to cheat a system. Random testing is the only way to eradicate it from the sport.”
Joshua and Parker will collide in a big heavyweight championship unification clash on March 31st at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
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