Oleksandr Usyk ordered to defend WBO heavyweight title against Joseph Parker
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.
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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.
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