Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning WBO, WBA, and WBC heavyweight champion, has been ordered by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to defend his title against interim champion Joseph Parker.

The fighters have 30 days to reach an agreement, or the WBO will schedule a purse-bid hearing.
Parker (36-3, 24 KOs), a former WBO heavyweight champion from New Zealand, previously held the belt from 2016 to 2018 before losing it to Anthony Joshua. After setbacks, including a knockout loss to Joe Joyce in 2022, Parker regained momentum with key victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. In February, he stopped Martin Bakole in two rounds.
Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs), widely considered the world’s top pound-for-pound boxer, became undisputed heavyweight champion in May 2024 by defeating Tyson Fury via split decision, then secured a unanimous decision win in their December rematch.
Despite the WBO order, Usyk is reportedly focused on a rematch with IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois. His promoter, Alex Krassyuk, confirmed that negotiations for Usyk vs. Dubois 2 are ongoing, with Wembley Stadium being considered as a venue.

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