The former WBO heavyweight champion has not fought since his October loss to Fabio Wardley at London’s The O2 Arena, where he was stopped in the 11th round of their interim title fight. Parker had built a lead before the late finish.
Shortly after that bout, it emerged that Parker had returned a positive test for cocaine. He has continued to deny any wrongdoing while the case moves through the formal process overseen by the relevant anti-doping authorities.
Now, five months on, there is still no decision, leaving his position in the heavyweight division uncertain.
“We’re going through a process,” Parker said in an interview with TalkSport. “Once that’s cleared, hopefully soon, I can come back. Until then, I have to wait.
“There’s never a timeframe. I just have to be patient and see what the result shows. I was surprised. I think you guys were surprised. We’re just waiting to see what’s going to happen.”
No official timeline has been given for when a ruling will be announced, and there has been no public update from the governing bodies handling the case.
During the wait, Parker has stayed active in training. He has spent recent weeks in Thailand working alongside Tyson Fury as Fury prepares for his upcoming fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov.
For Parker, any return to the ring will depend entirely on the outcome, with his next move still tied to the pending decision. The situation has left him inactive at a time when several heavyweights are competing for position. His team has not indicated when or where he could next fight. No interim bouts have been discussed publicly. A return date remains unclear at present.
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