Anthony Joshua addresses uncertainty over Tyson Fury drug testing

Anthony Joshua is baffled why Tyson Fury waited until the 11th hour to enrol in Vada (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) drug testing but does not believe he was “on a cycle”.

Fury, 38, finally joined the testing pool on Monday afternoon ahead of the rivals’ long-mooted British super-fight after Joshua applied pressure on ‘The Gypsy King’ to sign up.

Fury has a history with doping having received a backdated two-year suspension in 2017 after testing positive for elevated levels of the banned nandrolone metabolite.

But ahead of their bout, Joshua does not have any concerns that Fury has been on performance-enhancing drugs.

Anthony Joshua (right) and Tyson Fury pose during the press conference (Reuters)

“I don’t think he was on a cycle. It definitely isn’t working if he was,” he said. “I don’t think he was on a cycle but I just don’t know what took him so long to sign up.

“From my experience, I have fought guys that have been found to be on performing enhancing drugs after. When I fought [Robert] 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. The only reason I fought Helenius was Dillian Whyte had failed a test.

“I always invested in anti-doping regulations because, from the Olympics, they have been testing me and, for me, it is part of the system and I wanted to continue that once I turned pro. To get a certain level of testing done you have to invest and we have always done that.

“I don’t know what took him so long but we got it done.”

Joshua adds that he does not judge Fury, a two-time former world heavyweight champion, for his past offences.

Asked if his doping ban should put an asterisk next to his career, Joshua replied:” 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.

“It’s neither here-nor-there, water off a duck’s back. I just want to make sure, when I am in the ring with him, that he is clean, that was a big sticking point.

“I don’t want to judge him because it is not my position to.”

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