Parker earned his mandatory position by beating Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, and Martin Bakole. His fight with Bakole in February was a last-minute replacement after Dubois pulled out due to illness. Parker won that fight with a knockout in the second round.
Right now, Dubois holds the IBF title and has Derek Chisora as his mandatory challenger. He's also got a shot at an undisputed fight with Usyk. This situation could delay Parker's title shot if Dubois and Usyk end up fighting each other.
Parker explained his preference in an interview with Newstalk ZB:
"What I'd like to do is fight Dubois, reschedule that fight … I'll get his title and then I can fight Usyk. Undisputed. Probably the biggest and best achievement in boxing."
Despite his wishes, Parker thinks Dubois and Usyk will probably fight. He's decided to stay patient, even though it means waiting longer for his title shot.
Dubois has said he's interested in rescheduling a voluntary defense. He's also looking at a rematch with Usyk, who beat him in 2023. Meanwhile, Parker might consider a second fight with Anthony Joshua, but he's more interested in title fights than big money bouts.
We'll know more about the heavyweight title fights in the coming weeks. For now, Parker waits for his chance at the belt, hoping to face Dubois before a potential undisputed championship fight.