Usyk set to face Parker in heavyweight title fight on WBO orders

Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is acceptable to look the WBO’s interim heavyweight champion Joseph Parker.

The WBO has ordered negotiations for a bout betwixt its interim heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and the unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, the ruling assemblage has said.

Both parties person 30 days to hold connected presumption for a mandatory defence of Usyk’s title, and if they neglect to bash so, the WBO volition unfastened a purse bid.

“The minimum bid successful the Heavyweight part is 1 cardinal dollars … immoderate of the parties herein whitethorn petition purse bid proceedings astatine immoderate clip during dialog stages,” the WBO said successful a connection connected Thursday.

Usyk has held the WBO loop since 2021, erstwhile helium won it from Anthony Joshua on with the WBA and IBF titles, and has defended it 4 times, besides taking the WBC loop from Tyson Fury to go the unified champion.

Oleksandr Usyk knocks down Daniel Dubois and wins the combat astatine Wembley [Andrew Couldridge/Reuters]

The undefeated Ukrainian vacated the IBF loop past twelvemonth aft opting not to look the sanctioning body’s interim champion Daniel Dubois successful favour of a rematch with Fury, which helium won by unanimous determination successful December.

Usyk, 38, knocked retired Dubois connected Saturday to regain the IBF loop and undisputed status.

New Zealand’s Parker won the interim WBO title past twelvemonth successful a bulk determination implicit Zhilei Zhang. He defended it successful February, knocking retired Martin Bakole.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies