Oleksandr Usyk and Joseph Parker are set to face off in the ring. The WBO has ordered the fight as a mandatory challenge for Usyk's heavyweight titles.
Usyk, the Ukrainian powerhouse, holds the WBA, WBO, WBC, and recently regained IBF belts. He's a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion and former undisputed cruiserweight champion. In his last bout, Usyk showed his prowess with a masterclass performance, knocking out Daniel Dubois in the fifth round.
Parker, the New Zealander and former heavyweight champ, has earned his spot as the WBO mandatory challenger. He's been on a roll lately, scoring wins against Martin Bakole, Zhilei Zhang, and Deontay Wilder. Parker knocked out Bakole in the second round, and won points decisions against Zhang and Wilder.
Carl Froch, boxing analyst on the show "Froch on Fighting," shared his thoughts on the upcoming match. He said:
"Parker has done everything he needs to do now to warrant a shot at Usyk, but would you even give him a chance? It'd be an interesting fight, quite fast hands, high work rate. But let's not forget who Parker has already lost to."
Froch pointed out Parker's past losses, including one to Dillian Whyte, as a reason to doubt his chances against Usyk. He added:
"He lost to Dillian Whyte a few years ago, and he's been beat by people who couldn't really lace Usyk's boots, and I'm not having a go at Joseph Parker. I do think if anybody does deserve the fight, he does, he deserves a payday. But is anybody honestly giving Parker a chance against Usyk? Cause I'm not. I just don't think it's realistic."
Usyk must face Parker as his first mandatory challenger. However, if Usyk decides to vacate the belt, Parker might end up fighting Moses Itauma for the title. Itauma is scheduled to face Dillian Whyte next month.
The boxing world waits to see how this matchup will play out. Will Usyk continue his dominant reign, or will Parker pull off a surprise victory? Only time will tell when these two heavyweight titans step into the ring.
