Oleksandr Usyk must defend his heavyweight titles against Joseph Parker. The WBO has ordered the Ukrainian champion to face the New Zealand fighter, giving them 30 days to work out a deal.
Tyson Fury welcomed the news on Instagram, saying, "About time as well. Give Joseph Parker his shot!"
Usyk became the undisputed heavyweight champion after beating Fury twice. He first won in May last year, then dropped the IBF belt to honor a rematch clause. Usyk won the rematch in December, cementing his status as the top heavyweight.
Meanwhile, Daniel Dubois stepped up as the new IBF champion. He knocked out Anthony Joshua in his first defense, finishing the fight in less than five rounds.
Dubois was set to fight Parker in February but pulled out due to illness just days before the bout. Parker didn't let that slow him down. He took on Martin Bakole as a last-minute replacement and stopped him in two rounds.
Parker has been on a roll lately. He's beaten some tough opponents, including Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Now, he's got a shot at the big time.
The WBO has given Usyk and Parker 30 days to make a deal. If they can't agree, it'll go to a purse bid.
Most fans think Parker deserves this chance. He's beaten three hard-hitting fighters in a row, proving he's ready for a title shot.
Dubois and his team wanted to skip the voluntary defense against Parker and go straight for all the belts against Usyk. But the WBO's order throws a wrench in those plans.
Now, there are two ways this could go. Either Usyk and Parker will fight as ordered, or Dubois might try to get Parker to step aside.
Fury's support for Parker comes after his own retirement. He couldn't figure out how to beat Usyk in two tries and called it quits. That decision also closed the door on a potential fight with Anthony Joshua.
