Claim: Dillian Whyte’s August 12, 2023, rematch with Anthony Joshua was canceled because he failed a VADA drug test.

In July 2023, British heavyweight contenders Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua were set to renew their rivalry with a rematch scheduled for August 12 at London’s O2 Arena. The bout promised to be a blockbuster, with both athletes entering de facto title contention and drawing significant interest from fans and promoters.

On August 5, 2023, Matchroom Boxing issued a formal public statement announcing the cancellation of the fight and the full investigation following the adverse finding by VADA. The statement read:

“Today, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) 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. In light of this news, the fight will be cancelled, and a full investigation will be conducted.”

This event was covered by prominent outlets, including the BBC, CBS Sports, ESPN, Reuters, Sky Sports, and AP News, all detailing the fight cancellation, Whyte’s denial of intentional doping, and the promoters’ search for a replacement opponent for Joshua.

On August 5, 2023, Dillian Whyte took to Instagram to release a detailed statement where he denied knowingly ingesting any banned substance and expressed shock and devastation over the adverse finding reported by VADA. The statement read:

“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 cancelled without having any chance to demonstrate my innocence before the decision was taken. I can confirm without a shadow of 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.

In the meantime all I can do is express my extreme disappointment to boxing fans, who will miss out on what was sure to be a great event.”

As per the BBC report, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) informed the promoters and boxing authorities about the adverse finding from Whyte’s doping test. Consequently, the fight was canceled, and a full investigation was launched. Whyte expressed shock and devastation, strongly denying knowingly taking any banned substance and insisting on his innocence while requesting due process without media prejudice.

It should be noted that the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) conducts regular, random, and unannounced drug tests on fighters as part of its anti-doping program. Fighters must submit their whereabouts for up to eight weeks before their fight, allowing VADA to perform these tests whenever deemed necessary. Samples collected are split into “A” and “B” samples, sealed, and sent to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratories for analysis, as per their shared documents. If an adverse analytical finding occurs in the “A” sample, VADA promptly notifies the fighter, promoters, and relevant commissions or sanctioning authorities.

This can lead to immediate actions such as fight cancellations while a full investigation is conducted. Fighters have the right to request testing of the “B” sample to confirm results. This process upholds fairness, transparency, and the integrity of the sport.

Our Rating: Factually Correct

Dillian Whyte’s August 12, 2023, rematch with Anthony Joshua was canceled after Whyte returned an adverse analytical finding in a random anti-doping test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). Promoters Matchroom Boxing officially announced the cancellation and a full investigation on August 5, 2023. Whyte publicly denied knowingly ingesting any banned substance in a detailed Instagram statement released the same day, expressing shock and requesting due process to prove his innocence.

The cancellation and subsequent reactions were widely reported by reputable outlets, confirming the sequence of events. VADA’s established testing protocol involves random, unannounced sampling processed at WADA-accredited labs, with adverse findings immediately reported to relevant boxing authorities, often prompting fight cancellations pending investigation.

Our Fact-Check Sources

• Matchroom Boxing official statement, August 5, 2023: Matchroom Boxing
• Dillian Whyte’s Instagram statement, August 5, 2023: Instagram
• BBC report on fight cancellation, August 4, 2023: BBC
• CBS Sports report on fight cancellation, August 4, 2023: CBS Sports
• ESPN report on fight cancellation, August 4, 2023: ESPN
• Reuters coverage on Whyte’s reaction and promoter response, August 5, 2023: Reuters
• Sky Sports detailed coverage on fight cancellation and aftermath, August 5, 2023: Sky Sports
• VADA anti-doping program description: VADA
• VADA results management policy: WBA Fair Boxing Program – VADA policy