The WBO has ordered Oleksandr Usyk to face Joseph Parker for the heavyweight title. This move has thrown a wrench in the works for a potential undisputed championship clash between Usyk and Daniel Dubois.
The WBO World Championship Committee gave Usyk and Parker 30 days to agree on terms. If they can't reach a deal, the committee will call for a purse bid. This order also means the WBO will terminate Parker's interim championship status.
Daniel Dubois has had quite a journey to the top of the heavyweight division. He failed in his first world title attempt against Usyk in 2023. But he bounced back, becoming the IBF Interim Champion by beating Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic. When Usyk vacated the IBF belt, Dubois got elevated to Full Champion.
Dubois really made his mark when he knocked out Anthony Joshua in five rounds in his first title defence. After that big win, Dubois and his team set their sights on an undisputed heavyweight championship fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
But things didn't go as planned. Dubois had to pull out of a voluntary defence against Joseph Parker because he got sick. Parker didn't waste the opportunity. He stepped in to fight Martin Bakole instead and stopped him. Parker's been on a roll lately, beating big names like Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
Now, the WBO has thrown a curveball. They've ordered Usyk to fight Parker, which could delay the undisputed fight with Dubois. The WBO committee stated:
"Please be advised that the WBO World Championship Committee is hereby ordering the commencement of negotiations between [Usyk and Parker] to discharge the WBO mandatory championship obligation in the Heavyweight Division. By virtue of this order, the WBO Interim Championship shall be terminated expeditiously in compliance with our institutional policy of only one world champion per weight class."
They added:
"The parties have 30 days to reach terms. Failure to do so will result in this Committee ordering purse bid proceedings in accordance with WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests."
So, what happens now? If Usyk and Parker fight, it'll push back the undisputed bout with Dubois. There's a chance they might strike a deal to let the Dubois-Usyk fight happen first. But if no deal is reached, we might see Dubois and Joshua step into the ring for a rematch instead.
The heavyweight division is buzzing with activity, and fans will have to wait and see how these negotiations play out over the next month.
