Oleksandr Usyk ordered to defend WBO title against Joseph Parker, Kiwi ready to enter the ring says manager David Higgins

Joseph Parker at his weigh-in for his fight with Martin Bakole last month. Photo / Matchroom Boxing

Joseph Parker is waiting and ready to take on Oleksandr Usyk after the world title champion was ordered to start negotiations to defend his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) heavyweight title against the Kiwi.

The WBO announced on Thursday that Usyk, who also holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) belts, has 30 days to “reach terms” for a mandatory title defence against Parker or the governing body will call for purse bids.

Parker’s manager David Higgins was last night seeking clarity on the latest development but said it wasn’t a surprise.

“This has happened because of the WBO rules. So it appears that WBO are seeking to enforce the WBO rules, meaning that Usyk has to give Joseph Parker a shot given that Parker has been their number one ranked contender for like a year or more.

“So this is normal and this was foreseeable. It’s not a surprise, but sometimes backroom negotiations buy more time. It is fascinating to see how this is going to play out.”

The move could end British fighter Daniel Dubois' hopes of a re-match with the Ukrainian.

Parker defended his WBO interim title in Riyadh last month with a second-round stoppage of Martin Bakole, a late replacement after Dubois withdrew because of illness.

Rather than reschedule his bout against Parker, International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Dubois had hoped for a return clash with Usyk, who defeated the Briton by ninth-round knockout in August 2023.

Higgins is confident either way, Parker will have another world title fight in the near future.

“If Joseph keeps winning, he’s guaranteed to fight for the world title soon, within the next fight or two. So I’m not worried about Joseph getting a World title shot, provided he keeps winning, and it’s just a matter of being patient and winning,” Higgins said.

“And if it’s not the next fight, it’ll be the one after. He’s right up there. He’s ranked one. He’s credible, the fans want to see it. He’s a household name, he’s on a winning streak, so they can only dodge him so long.

“If it’s not the next fight, it’ll be the one after. And so we’re not panicking. In fact, this is, this is exciting times for Joseph Parker. He’ll fight anyone. And on the roll he’s on, in the form he’s in, he’s not worried about anyone.

“And if the Usyk fight was offered, he’d take it in a heartbeat. And if Dubois was offered, he’d take it in a heartbeat.”

Dubois re-established himself in the heavyweight ranks with stoppage wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic before most recently knocking out compatriot Anthony Joshua, himself a former world champion, at Wembley in September to take his professional record to 22 wins, with two losses and 21 knockouts.

The 27-year-old Dubois was understood to be in talks to face Usyk in a fight that would see all four major world heavyweight titles up for grabs but the WBO’s announcement has complicated the picture in a sport where the lack of a single global governing body means there are often multiple world champions in the same weight class.

Usyk defeated Britain’s Tyson Fury in May 2024 to become the first undisputed world heavyweight champion in almost 25 years. But he vacated his IBF belt before the rematch, with Dubois elevated to full champion.

Former undisputed world cruiserweight champion Usyk, 38, extended his perfect professional record to 23 wins in as many bouts, with 14 stoppages, after defeating Fury in a rematch in December that meant he retained the unified WBC, WBA and WBO championships.

While Usyk was speaking immediately after being declared the winner by unanimous decision, Dubois entered the ring and interrupted the London 2012 gold medallist’s interview to demand a bout.

But it appears Parker, who held the WBO title from 2016 to 2018 and is on a six-fight winning streak since losing to Joe Joyce in 2022, has overtaken Dubois as the next contender to face Usyk.

In February, Usyk said he planned to have two more fights before retiring.

- With AFP