Josh Warrington ‘gutted’ after Amir Khan failed drug test and demands tougher sentences

Josh Warrington has called for tougher punishments in boxing after being ‘devastated’ by the news that Amir Khan failed a drug test following his defeat to Kell Brook in 2022.

Khan, 36, tested positive for the banned substance ostarine, which can promote muscle growth and has similar effects to testosterone, following a urine sample taken by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) on the night of his bitter loss.

The former world champion was handed a two-year suspension – which expires in April 2024 – and avoided a four-year suspension after an independent tribunal ruled out ‘intentional or reckless behaviour’ – which Khan strongly maintains.

Khan, of course, has already retired and stressed on Tuesday that he has no intention of returning to boxing – after announcing his retirement from the sport in May last year, less than a month after being notified of his positive test.

The former two-time light welterweight champion and Olympic silver medalist insists his time in boxing was over anyway, but Warrington – who lost his IBF featherweight belt to Luis Alberto Lopez in December – was nonetheless furious at the news.

Khan tested positive for the banned substance ostarine after his defeat by Kell Brook (right)

“I’m fucking gutted,” Warrington told Sportsmail, among others. “I am gutted to hear and see it. I speak quite passionately about this because of how tough this sport is.

“It’s a pantomime, but also a business and a sport, but people get hurt in this sport.

“People really give it their all, they dedicate their lives, have life-changing injuries. Some people lose their abilities and also get away with f*** all.’

Warrington isn’t the only fighter to have expressed disappointment following the bombshell revelation, with Brook calling his longtime rival a “cheat” and insisting his legacy will be forever tarnished.

Brook was the emphatic winner of the night, finishing off his rival in the sixth round of their highly anticipated legacy bout – and Khan has pointed to his poor performance as proof he wasn’t cheating.

But Brook also insists that his dominant performance cannot overshadow just how dangerous performance-enhancing drugs are in boxing, insisting that he could have been killed in the ring.

Warrington has echoed these sentiments, stating that there is absolutely no excuse for failing a test. Khan claimed on Tuesday that the substance may have entered his system from shaking people’s hands.

“People are actually trying to gain an advantage by cheating,” he continued. “In a sport that’s so physical, I’ve said it many times… if you have a 100-meter race and someone gets caught cheating, okay, someone can miss out on a gold medal or a medal spot, it could be for them beat six upstairs, but physically it won’t affect them as much as boxing.

Khan has been handed a two-year suspension but insists he has never cheated in his career

The Bolton fighter was beaten solidly by his long-time rival and the fight stopped in round six

“Everyone knows, on some level, who they’re working with, and they definitely need to question it, because it’s constantly making headlines now — especially recent stories. You have to be more careful.

‘We have fucking websites where you can check everything. Oh, I don’t feel so good, I’m going to the drugstore. What is this? This looks decent, that will fix my cold. I’ll check it on the website… ah, b******, that’s what it says, I can’t stand that. I have to have an alternative or I’ll just sweat it out.

“Some excuses that come up — it annoys me, it annoys me. I always go back to that movie, Icarus: If there’s a pound in the sport, we’re going to cheat.

‘I’ve been saying it for a long time: if you get caught once, you have to be suspended, it has to be strict. That’s the drama of boxing.’

Former world champion Warrington insists fighters need more care in boxing

Not only does Warrington believe there should be tougher penalties for those who fail the drug test, he also insists that the fighters need an organization to care for them both during and after their careers.

“As big as this sport can be – it’s conquering the whole world – we don’t have an organization looking after us like footballers have with the PFA,” he explained.

“They have someone to turn to when they retire, someone to pick up the phone.

“The board (British Boxing Board of Control) is the board, but there is no organization where a boxer who has been retired for 20 years is struggling to make ends meet or dealing with taxes or dementia, there is no one to pick up the phone and talk.

“You can try calling the board, but I don’t know how much help they could offer.”