Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered by the WBO to defend his heavyweight title against Joseph Parker following his fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, as reported by Daily Express.
The Ukrainian dominated the bout, dropping Dubois with a right hook before finishing him moments later with a left hand. Now, the WBO has given both camps 30 days to agree terms or face a purse bid. If Usyk refuses the fight, he risks being stripped of the belt.
«The WBO is ordering the commencement of negotiations,» the organisation stated. «If no deal is reached within 30 days, purse bid proceedings will follow. Either party may request a purse bid at any time.»
Parker, on a strong winning streak with recent victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, has been named mandatory challenger. Promoter Frank Warren confirmed the WBO’s decision, calling it a «great fight» for both men.
Usyk, 38, hinted at possible future opponents including Parker, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, but emphasised he wants to rest and spend time with family before making any decisions.
«38 is just the beginning,» Usyk said after the fight. «Right now, I want to be with my family and rest. What’s next? I don’t know, maybe Tyson Fury, maybe Parker. But for now, I just want peace.»
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Kazakhstan delivered a commanding performance at the World Boxing Cup 2025, hosted in Astana under the aegis of World Boxing.
