Joseph Parker says he has forgiven the nutritionist behind his failed drug test last year and is looking to get his career back on track now the ban has been lifted.
The 34-year-old hopes to fight before the year is out, telling 1News: "I'm looking for a big fight. I've been waiting to punch someone in the face."
Parker returned an adverse finding for cocaine after his defeat to Fabio Wardley at London's O2 Arena on October 25 last year — first through a voluntary test with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) on the day of the fight, then in a UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) test taken in the early hours of the following morning. The result put his career on hold.
In a statement released on Friday, UKAD said Parker was free to return to the ring after serving the ban.
"On 6 March 2026, Mr Parker provided UKAD with evidence claiming that the adverse analytical finding was the result of his exposure to cocaine used by the nutritionist he had employed in preparation for the bout on 25 October 2025.
"The nutritionist stated that he was a regular user of cocaine and had used cocaine daily in the week leading up to the bout.”
UKAD said it determined in June that Parker's cocaine ingestion had occurred out of competition, "in a context unrelated to sport performance," and lifted his suspension on that basis.
"Imagine getting told you'd failed a drugs test and getting told it's cocaine. It's a shock… and how are you going to navigate through this whole ordeal?" Parker told 1News yesterday.
"It was tough at the beginning, very tough. I'm very fortunate to have a very supportive wife and family. When I got told the news I was in tears — 'how did this happen? My career, it's all over.' My wife said to me, 'relax, you did nothing wrong.' She was with me the whole time in camp, so she knows exactly what happened."
He told Newstalk ZB on Friday that he forgave the nutritionist and remained friends with him.
"Listen, everyone makes mistakes. It was a big mistake, and it cost me a lot, and it cost me time out of the ring, opportunity, looking after my family, but it also gave me time to spend more time here at home."
He said it was part of his boxing journey.
"The journey goes like this, up and down, up and down, up and down."
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