Joshua vs Whyte Called Off After Whyte Failed Doping Test

Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight rematch against Dillian Whyte next Saturday, 12 August, at London’s O2 Arena has been canceled after Whyte returned an ‘adverse finding’ to a random doping test.

The future looks much less clear for Whyte, 35, following this episode, his third run-in with anti-doping authorities. In a statement, he said he was ‘shocked and devastated’ by the positive test and vowed to ‘prove that I am completely innocent.’

Whyte served a two-year ban after testing positive for the banned stimulant Methylhexanamine following a win over Hungary’s Sandor Balogh in October 2012.

In 2019, he was charged by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) after a sample provided in June of that year showed the presence of two metabolites of a banned steroid, Dianabol. The charge was later withdrawn due to the ‘extremely low levels of the metabolites.

🚨 Dillian Whyte has "returned adverse analytical findings" in a VADA drugs test and so the Anthony Joshua rematch on Aug 12th has been CANCELLED pic.twitter.com/CE8raYLshL

— The Super Strikaz (@thesuperstrikaz) August 5, 2023

The most recent test was performed by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), which informed Matchroom about the positive result for a banned substance, the identity of which was not initially made public.

‘The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association informed Matchroom, the Association of Boxing Commissions, and the British Boxing Board of Control that Dillian Whyte had returned adverse analytical findings as part of a random anti-doping protocol.

https://twitter.com/DillianWhyte/status/1687833333365944320?t=f6QR7bDu_zt9VZXeg_EV9A&s=19

White wrote while reacting to the news: I am shocked and devastated to learn of a report by VADA of adverse findings relating to me. I only learned of it this morning and am still reacting to it.

I have also just seen that the fight is being canceled without having any chance to demonstrate my innocence before the decision was taken.

“I can confirm without a shadow of a doubt that I have not taken the reported substance, in this camp or at any point in my life.

“I am completely innocent and ask to be given the time to go through the process of proving this without anybody jumping to conclusions or a trial by media.

“I insisted on 24/7 VADA testing for this fight, as I have done voluntarily and at my own expense for all of my fights for many, many years.

“This is not the first time that I have been reported as having an adverse finding for a substance which I have not taken, and as I did last time I will again prove that I am completely innocent.

Matchroom said in a statement: “In light of this news, the fight has been canceled, and a full investigation will be conducted.”