Usyk and Parker: The WBO Orders Negotiations for the Mandatory Defense of the World Title
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has issued an order to heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk to begin negotiations with Joseph Parker with the aim of finalizing a mandatory title defense. Usyk, who holds the undisputed heavyweight championship, unified the four titles for the second time after defeating Daniel Dubois by TKO in the fifth round on July 19 at Wembley Stadium, London. In the rematch, 38-year-old Usyk defended the WBA, WBO, and WBC titles. Dubois, for his part, held the IBF title, which Usyk had vacated to prioritize a rematch with Tyson Fury. Parker, with an impressive fight record, conquered the WBO interim title against Zhilei Zhang in March 2024, making him the mandatory challenger to Usyk, the undisputed champion. According to the WBO, both teams have a 30-day deadline to reach an agreement. If they fail to do so, the fight will be decided by auction.The minimum bid for the auction has been set at $1,000,000. Frank Warren, Parker’s promoter, expressed after Usyk’s victory over Dubois that Usyk’s first title defense should be against Joe Parker, calling the match a great fight. Usyk became undisputed champion by defeating Fury in May 2024, but relinquished the IBF belt a month later to secure a rematch with Fury, instead of facing the then mandatory challenger, Filip Hrgovic.“Under this order, the parties have thirty (30) days from the issuance of this letter to reach an agreement,” the WBO stated in a letter addressed to the teams of Olekandr Usyk and Joseph Parker on Tuesday.
WBO
