Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to begin negotiations for a mandatory title defense against Joseph Parker, potentially derailing British fighter Daniel Dubois’ hopes of a rematch with the Ukrainian.
The WBO announced on Thursday that Usyk, who also holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) titles, has 30 days to finalise terms with New Zealand’s Parker. If an agreement is not reached within the timeframe, the governing body will call for purse bids.
Parker becomes mandatory challenger
Parker solidified his status as the WBO’s mandatory challenger after successfully defending his interim title in Riyadh last month, stopping Martin Bakole in the second round. Bakole was a late replacement after Dubois withdrew due to illness.
Rather than rescheduling his bout with Parker, IBF champion Dubois had been pushing for a rematch with Usyk, who defeated him via ninth-round knockout in August 2023. Dubois had since rebuilt his reputation with stoppage victories over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua—the latter coming in September at Wembley.
Complications in the heavyweight division
The WBO’s ruling complicates the already uncertain landscape of heavyweight boxing, where multiple governing bodies often lead to conflicting title claims.
Usyk became the first undisputed world heavyweight champion in nearly 25 years when he defeated Tyson Fury in May 2024. However, he later vacated his IBF title, allowing Dubois to be promoted to full champion status.
Despite Dubois interrupting Usyk’s post-fight interview after his December rematch victory over Fury to demand a bout, Parker appears to have moved ahead in the pecking order.
Usyk nearing retirement?
At 38 years old, Usyk remains undefeated with 23 wins (14 KOs) and has previously stated that he plans to fight twice more before retiring. If he follows through with that plan, his fight with Parker could be one of his final appearances in the ring.
