Newly crowned undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered by the WBO to defend his title against New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in a mandatory bout.
Usyk secured his status as undisputed champion for the second time last Saturday with a fifth-round stoppage of Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
The win—his 24th without defeat—saw the 38-year-old Ukrainian reclaim the IBF belt and unify it with the WBA, WBC, and WBO titles.
Following the victory, Usyk had hinted at Parker as a potential opponent, and the WBO has now made it official, issuing a letter on Thursday calling for both camps to begin negotiations.
They have 30 days to reach an agreement, failing which the matter will move to purse bid proceedings.
Parker, who held the WBO title from 2016 to 2018, defended his interim belt in February with a second-round knockout of Martin Bakole in Riyadh. He is currently on a six-fight winning streak since a loss to Joe Joyce in 2022.
The upcoming negotiations could set the stage for a high-stakes clash between two former champions with momentum and history on their side.
