Oleksandr Usyk ordered by WBO to face Andy Lee-trained Joseph Parker in mandatory heavyweight title defence
Joseph Parker celebrates his win over Zhilei Zhang and is now in line for a shot at world champion Oleksandr Usyk. Picture: Getty Images
Usyk was crowned undisputed world heavyweight champion on Saturday night after beating Daniel Dubois in a fifth-round stoppage at Wembley, sending the Briton to the canvas with a left-handed punch.
Victory secured a 24th professional win for the undefeated 38-year-old, who won back his IBF belt and added it to WBA, WBC and WBO titles.
Usyk became undisputed world heavyweight champion for a second time and in the aftermath of his win, he namechecked Derek Chisora, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Parker as potential future opponents.
On Thursday, a letter from the WBO ordered negotiations to take place between Usyk and Parker for a mandatory heavyweight title bout.
The letter added that both parties have 30 days to reach terms otherwise purse bid proceedings will be ordered.
Parker, who is trained by Limerick's former world champion Andy Lee, defended his WBO interim title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in February with a second-round stoppage against Martin Bakole, a late replacement for Dubois who withdrew due to illness.
The New Zealand fighter had previously held the WBO title from 2016 to 2018 and is on a six-fight winning streak since losing to Joe Joyce in 2022.
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