Anthony Joshua believes there is a doping problem in boxing after Dillian Whyte returned adverse results to tests – ruining the prospect of their trilogy fight this weekend.
It left the sold-out O2 card under threat before Robert Helenius took Whyte’s place.
Whyte (above) defeated Joshua in the amateur ranks before the latter gained revenge by a seventh-round TKO in their professional clash in 2015.
“There’s a doping problem in the sport, definitely,” Joshua said. “I don’t really mix inside the boxing industry but I know it’s a problem.
“How can people get away with doping if you are getting random drug tests?
“I get drug tested all year round, every quarter I have to submit my whereabouts – where I am going to be, every day, for an hour of the day, so they can turn up randomly.
“I have submitted that every day since 2011. So I don’t know why I am under this pressure but all these other boxers aren’t.
“It damages the sport. We lost the fight and nearly lost the card because of this situation.”
“I don’t wish Dillian any bad but his reputation is tarnished.
“It’s funny, the two people [American Jarrell Miller the other] who accused me have popped dirty themselves.
“Maybe they did it because of my physique or my success, my rise, it maybe didn’t make sense to them but it’s God-gifted and a lot of hard work.
“I have a long history of being drug tested and sometimes you have to question the person who keeps pointing the finger.”
Joshua added: “I got the news at 7am. My initial reaction was, ‘What’s next?’ I had two options: go ahead or cancel?
“Am I surprised? It happens in boxing, it’s not the first and won’t be the last. So no, I was not surprised.
“It is a dangerous sport but I am not disgusted. It doesn’t fill me with anger, no, but it’s not good.”
