The WBO has ordered heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) to face interim strap holder Joseph Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) next. The two have a month [30 days] to put together a deal to average a purse bid with the sanctioning body.
Usyk’s Choice
It’ll be up to Usyk, 38, to determine whether he wants to face Parker or focus on a more lucrative match that people are interested in seeing.
Parker has rebuilt his career with recent wins over an out-of-shape 310-lb Martin Bole and two older heavyweights, Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
The New Zealand Parker had been scheduled to challenge IBF champion Daniel Dubois last month on the February 22nd card in Riyadh, but Dubois pulled out with an illness. That would have been a very hard fight for Joseph to win because Dubois is in his prime and young.
Parker has a boring fighting style and his personality doesn’t seem to get fans excited about seeing him. If Usyk does face him, many fans will pass on this fight if it’s sold on PPV. Without a great undercard, Usyk-Parker is a lackluster fight.
Fans would prefer to see WBA, WBC and WBO champion Usyk face Dubois for the undisputed championship rather than Parker. He’s seen as the next best heavyweight in the division next to Usyk.
The two of them would be an excellent fight. If Usyk wins his fight with Parker, he can still face Dubois in a rematch if that’s a match that interests him.
Usyk is coming off of back-to-back wins over Tyson Fury, and he’s looking hard to beat. He sent Fury into retirement with his recent win over him on December 21st in their rematch last year.
Parker has to make the most of this opportunity because it’s taken him seven years to get in this position after losing his WBO title in 2018 to Anthony Joshua.
Re: Negotiations – WBO Mandatory Heavyweight Championship Contest Oleksandr Usyk vs. Joseph Parker https://t.co/Syi1MBds0a
— WBO (@WorldBoxingOrg) March 13, 2025
Last Updated on 03/13/2025
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