Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered by the World Boxing Organisation to defend his heavyweight world title against Joseph Parker. Saturday’s spectacular knockout of Daniel Dubois in front of more than 80,000 people at Wembley ensured the Ukrainian was crowned undisputed world champion once again.
Both parties have 30 days to agree terms or the WBO will proceed to a purse bid. Parker, the former world champion, is on a five-fight winning streak, including impressive wins over the former WBC world champion Deontay Wilder, Martin Bakole and Zhilei Zhang.
Parker’s impressive performances had earned him his first chance to win a world title in seven years against Dubois in February. However, Dubois withdrew because of an infection two days before the bout. Instead, Parker fought Bakole, winning with a second-round KO.
The fight against Dubois was not rescheduled and the British fighter then signed to fight Usyk, leaving Parker waiting even longer for his world title opportunity.
Parker’s scintillating form has been much aided by his coach Andy Lee, who has also helped Hamzah Sheeraz and Ben Whittaker earn breakthrough stoppage victories against Edgar Berlanga and Liam Cameron respectively.
Usyk, the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO champion, mentioned the possibility of defending his titles against Parker on Saturday, with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua being other possibilities.
Fury has insisted that the judges were wrong to award Usyk the victory in their two previous fights in Riyadh last year. Fury has claimed he is next in line, even posting on Instagram that the fight was set for April 2026.
The WBO has ordered heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk to begin negotiations over a mandatory title defense against Joseph Parker.
Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) reclaimed the undisputed heavyweight championship, unifying all four titles for the second time with a fifth-round TKO win over Daniel Dubois on July 19 at London’s Wembley Stadium.
Usyk, 38, entered the rematch as the WBA, WBO and WBC champion. Dubois held the IBF title Usyk had relinquished to prioritize a rematch with Tyson Fury.
Parker (36-3, 24 KOs), who has been on a sensational run of fights, won the interim WBO title against Zhilei Zhang in March 2024 and is thus the mandatory challenger to Usyk, the undisputed champion.
According to the WBO, the partiers have 30 days to reach an agreement before the fight goes to a purse bid.
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