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WBO Orders Oleksandr Usyk to Defend Title Against Joseph Parker
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has mandated Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning WBO, WBA, and WBC heavyweight champion, to defend his title against interim champion Joseph Parker.
Both fighters have 30 days to reach an agreement, or the WBO will proceed with a purse-bid hearing. Parker (36-3, 24 KOs), a former WBO heavyweight champion from New Zealand, previously held the belt from 2016 to 2018 before losing it to Anthony Joshua.
After suffering setbacks, including a knockout defeat to Joe Joyce in 2022, Parker revived his career with key wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, and most recently stopped Martin Bakole in two rounds in February.
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Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs), widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters, became the undisputed heavyweight champion in May 2024 after a split-decision victory over Tyson Fury. He later cemented his dominance with a unanimous decision win in their rematch in December.
Despite the WBO’s directive, Usyk appears more focused on a rematch with IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois.
His promoter, Alex Krassyuk, confirmed that negotiations for Usyk vs. Dubois 2 are ongoing, with Wembley Stadium being considered as a potential venue.
