Anthony Joshua is absolutely baffled by Tyson Fury’s last-minute decision to finally enrol in Vada (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) drug testing. It’s wild to think about, considering the long-mooted super-fight between these two British heavyweights. Fury, who’s 38, only joined the testing pool on Monday afternoon, and it sounds like AJ himself had to apply some serious pressure to get “The Gypsy King” to sign up.
Fury’s Delayed Vada Move Has Everyone Scratching Their Heads
It’s no secret Fury’s got a history with doping, picking up a backdated two-year suspension back in 2017 after testing positive for elevated levels of a banned substance, nandrolone metabolite. So, when he waits until literally the “11th hour” to jump into the testing pool for one of the biggest fights of his career, you gotta wonder, right? Even Joshua can’t figure it out. “I don’t think he was on a cycle,” Joshua said. “It definitely isn’t working if he was. I don’t think he was on a cycle but I just don’t know what took him so long to sign up.” AJ’s confusion is super clear, and frankly, who can blame him? Why the massive delay?
AJ’s Stance On Doping Is Clear, But He’s Not Here To Judge
Despite the past issues and the recent delay, Joshua isn’t throwing shade at Fury’s previous doping ban. He’s not even saying it should put an asterisk next to Fury’s career. “I am not one to judge. It is not for me to judge, I don’t think it is the right thing to do, to judge him,” Joshua stated. “It’s neither here-nor-there, water off a duck’s back.”
But here’s the kicker: Joshua’s been through it before. He fought Robert Helenius, who was later found to be on performance-enhancing drugs. “When I fought Helenius, he was jabbing my head off and I thought ‘what the f*** is in this guy’s gloves’ he was strong. Then he was on performing enhancing drugs.” AJ only took that fight because Dillian Whyte had failed a test himself. For Joshua, anti-doping regulations have always been part of the game, right from his Olympic days. He’s always invested in getting “a certain level of testing done” once he turned pro, calling it “part of the system.”
His focus now is squarely on the fight itself. “I just want to make sure, when I am in the ring with him, that he is clean, that was a big sticking point,” Joshua emphasized. “I don’t want to judge him because it is not my position to.” With Fury now finally in the testing pool, the stage is set. These two boxing giants are headed for a long-awaited super-fight, and all eyes will be on whether Fury can prove he’s clean after all this drama.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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