Anthony Joshua delaying his return for eight months led to speculation over a drug ban thanks to former rival Jarrell Miller.
Comical rumors began circulating as Miller sent out a video stating his belief that AJ had failed a drug test.
Adding fuel to the fire, Joshua told fans he wouldn’t return to the ring until December. Joshua said it was “not ideal but part of the bigger picture.”
Social media then went into overdrive, with fans putting Miller’s two cents and Joshua’s delay together when making five instead of four.
Anthony Joshua failed drug test allegation
Another United States heavyweight Christopher Lovejoy has questioned Joshua’s validity. This is despite the British former two-time world champion being cleared by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency.
It seems Lovejoy believes Miller’s rant holds some truth enough to ask his followers for clarification.
SO AJ FINALLY FAILED A DRUG TEST HUH? SMH
— Christopher Lovejoy (@LovejoyBoxing) April 16, 2023
He later told his fans that the fact he put a question mark in his tweet wasn’t any allegation against Joshua.
However, the sheer notion that Joshua has cheated by debunked by VADA, who moved to back the ex-world ruler up.
“Congratulations to Jermaine Franklin and Anthony Joshua for successfully completing Vada Testing through their April 1, 2023 bout,” they said.
Joshua has been a clean athlete his entire career. There’s never been a slight sniff that he would be involved in such nonsense.
As for the fans stating his eight-month hiatus could be an enforced six-month suspension, there’s a method for the time off, according to talkSPORT mouthpiece Simon Jordan.
The former Crystal Palace owner states Joshua will be involved in a lucrative four-person tournament in Saudi Arabia. The semi-finals, due to begin in December, would see Joshua face Deontay Wilder.
If successful, Joshua would then get a shot at the winner of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed crown.
AJ delayed until December
Discussing what he heard through the grapevine, Jordan said on talkSPORT: “There’s a lingering observation. I suppose it’s a rumor that’s seeded, I think, in some substance, that a series of fights is being arranged in the Middle East.
“They will involve Fury, Usyk, Joshua, and Wilder,” said Jordan.
Those highly unsubstantiated claims would be hard to digest for the most staunch boxing personnel. The fact is that boxing fans and media alike aren’t that lucky.
To see four top heavyweights competing, even a week apart, in major fights like that would be Christmas coming early.
It’s far more likely that all four will face different opponents and charge fans Pay Per View for the privilege.
The whole thing makes for a good headline, as does any debunked suggestion that AJ is anything but a clean athlete.
That would be the last thing British boxing needed now after the Conor Benn and Amir Khan disasters.
The views expressed in this article are the opinions of experienced boxing writer Phil Jay. Twitter @PhilJWBN. Follow WBN: Facebook, Insta, Twitter.
