Oleksandr Usyk has been instructed by the World Boxing Organisation to defend his heavyweight world title against Joseph Parker. The Ukrainian secured the undisputed world championship once again after a decisive stoppage of Daniel Dubois in front of over 80,000 spectators at Wembley on Saturday.
Both sides now have 30 days to finalize terms, or the WBO will move forward with a purse bid. Parker, a former world champion, has won his last five bouts, including notable victories against former WBC titleholder Deontay Wilder, Martin Bakole, and Zhilei Zhang.
Parker was initially set to challenge for a world title for the first time in seven years against Dubois in February. However, Dubois pulled out due to an illness just days before the match, leading Parker to instead face Bakole, whom he stopped in the second round.
The bout with Dubois was never rearranged, as the British boxer later secured a fight with Usyk, delaying Parker’s chance at another world title opportunity.
Parker’s recent performances have been bolstered by his trainer Andy Lee, who has also guided Hamzah Sheeraz and Ben Whittaker to significant stoppage wins against Edgar Berlanga and Liam Cameron, respectively.
Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO belts, acknowledged the possibility of facing Parker in his next defense. Other potential opponents include Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Fury has maintained that the judges erred in awarding Usyk the win in their two previous clashes in Riyadh last year. He has insisted he is next in line for a title shot, even stating on social media that the fight was scheduled for April 2026.
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