Newly crowned undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to defend his title against New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in a mandatory bout.
Usyk, 38, secured his place in boxing history last Saturday with a fifth-round stoppage of Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, claiming the WBC belt and unifying it with his WBA, IBF, and WBO titles. The Ukrainian southpaw remains undefeated in 24 professional fights.
Following his emphatic win, Usyk named Parker among potential future opponents — a scenario now set in motion.
On Thursday, the WBO issued an official letter mandating negotiations between Usyk and Parker. Both camps have been given 30 days to reach an agreement, after which purse bid proceedings will be initiated if no deal is struck.
Parker, who held the WBO title from 2016 to 2018, currently holds the WBO interim belt. He defended it in February with a dominant second-round knockout of Martin Bakole in Riyadh. That win marked his sixth consecutive victory since a 2022 defeat to Joe Joyce.
With the WBO stepping in, Usyk’s next move in the heavyweight division appears to be firmly set — and Parker stands as a formidable challenge in his path.
