Oleksandr Usyk ordered to face Joseph Parker for mandatory title bout by WBO after back-to-back wins over Tyson Fury
Updated 13/03/2025 at 08:34 GMT
Oleksandr Usyk and Joseph Parker have been ordered to begin negotiations for a mandatory heavyweight title fight by the World Boxing Organisations (WBO). The organisations said the two camps have "30 days to reach terms". It is set to be Usyk's first appearance since completing back-to-back victories over Tyson Fury - with the Brit retiring in the wake of the defeats.
Highlights: Parker makes light work of Bakole with huge second-round knockout
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Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered to take on Joseph Parker by the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) in a mandatory heavyweight title defence.
Speculation had surrounded who the Ukrainian might face next, including a potential meeting with Daniel Dubois, while there had also been suggestions of Tyson Fury calling time on his retirement to complete a trilogy fight with the undisputed champion.
But the WBO publicly released a notice sent to both Usyk and Parker's camps to get negotiations underway for a title bout, giving them "30 days to reach terms".
"Please be advised that the WBO World Championship Committee is hereby ordering the commencement of negotiations between the subject matters fighters to discharge the WBO mandatory championship obligation in the Heavyweight Division," it said.
"By virtue of this order, the WBO Interim Championship shall be terminated expeditiously in compliance with our institutional policy of only one world champion per weight class.
"The parties have 30 days to reach terms. Failure to do so will result in this Committee ordering purse bid proceedings in accordance with WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests."
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Watch: Parker lands ‘thunderous punch’ to stop Bakole in round two
Video credit: TNT Sports
For Usyk, it will be a first appearance since the split-decision and unanimous-decision victories over Fury in their epic Saudi Arabia double-header.
The first of which saw the Ukrainian inflict Fury's first-ever career defeat, and the Brit has since retired, despite hopes of a trilogy fight.
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WBO interim title-holder Parker will now be the next to challenge Usyk for his heavyweight title, with the New Zealander fresh off an emphatic second-round TKO victory over Martin Bakole in February.
Parker was set to face Dubois in Saudi Arabia, until the Brit withdrew due to illness just days before.
Usyk remains undefeated in his professional career, boasting a 23-0-0 record with 14 wins coming via knockout.
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