Joseph Parker will be stripped of his interim WBO heavyweight champion belt as soon as the first bell rings for his upcoming clash with Daniel Dubois.

The 33-year-old will lose his status because he will fight for the belt from another organization. Dubois holds the current IBF title.

That leaves the WBO with no option but to strip Parker of his interim title when he starts trading blows with the British fighter next month.

Parker has been on an impressive winning streak since his devastating knockout loss to Joe Joyce in 2022. After victories over Jack Massey, Faiga Opelu and Simon Keane, the Kiwi boxer secured the most significant victory of his career in December 2023, defeating former world champion Deontay Wilder.

He then continued his success by defeating Zhilei Zhang last year to win the WBO interim belt.

In a statement posted this afternoon on X – formerly known as Twitter – WBO president Gustavo Olivieri announced that Parker will only hold the interim title for a low while during his fight against “Triple D” before being dethroned.

The post said: “WBO interim heavyweight champion Joseph Parker embodies the true spirit of the sport. A consummate professional, gentleman and champion both in and out of the ring, Parker represented the WBO with great honor and integrity. “

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) issued a statement finalizing arrangements for Parker’s upcoming fight, in which it describes the nuances of its policy in extraordinary detail: “In accordance with the WBO’s policy of unifying interim titles, we have collectively agreed that Joseph Parker will enter the ring as champion and be announced as such .

“However, after the opening signal, the title will be considered vacant. We pay our genuine appreciation to Joseph Parker for his dedication to the sport and look forward to his continued success in his career. All the best against Dubois. The doors of the WBO will always be open.”

Keen to reclaim his world champion status after winning the esteemed WBO gold belt between 2016 and 2018 and defeating high-profile fighters such as Andy Ruiz Jr, Razvan Cojanu and Hughie Fury, Parker’s reign came to an end in Cardiff at the hands of Anthony Joshua in 2018.

With all eyes on the prize, Parker couldn’t facilitate but look forward during the Dubois pre-fight press event and stated, “I’m very excited to fight for the world championship for a second time. A two-time world champion sounds lovely.”

Meanwhile, after Oleksandr Usyk’s triumph over Tyson Fury last month, Dubois said: “It’s about making noise. This is show business. He’s the one I want next (Usyk), but I have to beat this guy first.”

Dubois was quick to dismiss any suggestion that he was looking beyond his current opponent, asserting firmly: “No way, I’ll do a demolition job on him first and then I want Usyk next. I’m ready for it, I’m on a roll, so bring ’em.”

Parker warned his rival, “You might be looking too far ahead planning other huge fights when you have a fight in front of you,” to which Dubois confidently replied, “I’m definitely focused on you.”

The Kiwi boxer then promised: “I’ve been boxing for a while and I feel like I’ve only just started. You’re in for a real treat.”

Tommy Fury admitted that the reason for his breakup with his fiancée Molly-Mae Hague was an alcohol problem.

The couple, who first met on Love Island, enjoyed a whirlwind romance that resulted in them welcoming daughter Bambi in January 2023 and getting engaged in Ibiza, with little Bambi playing a part in the proposal. However, last August, Molly-Mae shocked fans by announcing their separation. There were rumors at the time that Tommy’s infidelity was to blame, but the 25-year-old described such claims as “complete and absolute bullshit.”

In a candid interview with Men’s Health, Fury, who was scheduled to fight Darren Till this weekend before withdrawing, admitted to struggling with alcohol addiction following his injury, admitting it had affected his mental health and relationship. “The reason Molly and I broke up was because I had become addicted to alcohol and I couldn’t be the partner I wanted to be anymore,” he revealed.

“It kills me to say this [but] it’s true, I couldn’t. I loved a pint, I loved drinking and that’s just how it is. People go through different things in life and we all have our crosses to bear. I have my share to deal with.”

The teenage boxer also explained how his troubles began after suffering a severe hand injury in 2019, which led to reconstructive surgery in early 2024. Even though 2023 was hailed as the “best year” of his life, Fury was facing a year away from the ring , which thwarted his plans to maintain an lively fight schedule.

He last stepped into the ring in October 2023, when he triumphed over another social media sensation, KSI. Last year, during his recovery period, Fury opened up about how much of his identity was stripped away when he could no longer go to the gym.

The 25-year-old honestly revealed that his diet and fitness began to deteriorate before he turned to alcohol for solace. “I only lived for training and family, and all that was taken away from me. So for fun I started drinking a lot. I found that it made me feel better,” he said. I wanted the endorphins that I would get after a good session, sparring and fighting.”

“TNT” admitted that he often went out to “get drunk until dawn”, which led to the breakdown of his relationship with Molly-Mae Hague. Despite this, Fury maintained that he never cheated on the former Love Island contestant and managed to maintain a sturdy bond with his daughter during this challenging period of his life.

You can ask Molly about it yourself. It was a drink, and a drink is not good. You need to get over yourself. If you’re in the same place as me where you just think it’s going to cure all your problems, it doesn’t. You wake up even worse and want to drink more to feel content again. This is the cycle.

Turki Alalshikh confirmed on Wednesday morning that Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn have reached an agreement to fight in London in April.

Eubank Jr and Benn will face off in a re-arranged middleweight grudge match, with Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosting the fight.

The pair were scheduled to meet in October 2022 at the 157-pound catchweight division, but the bout was postponed until fight week after Benn tested positive for the banned substance clomiphene.

The National Anti-Doping Panel lifted Benn’s suspension in November, meaning the Essex fighter can now fight in the UK after his last two fights in America.

Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, played a key role in sealing the deal when it emerged that the two men were looking in different directions.

“Eubank Jr vs. Benn played in April in London called (Fatal Fury City of the Wolves)” – Alalshikh posted on X.

“I will announce the day and location soon. This will be The Ring’s first card in collaboration with the video game and SNK, and I will be pushing for the fan PPV price to be £19.99, with a hard card…

“Let’s make boxing great again and wait for the substantial announcement soon.”

Both British rivals were in attendance at the Ring Awards in London on Saturday and Benn, who will move up two weight classes, said Professional boxing fans that he remains open to a fight with WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios if a fight with Eubank Jr. cannot be agreed.

“I said yes to Barrios, I said yes to Eubank,” said the 28-year-old.

“So let’s see which one develops.”

Eubank Jr vs Benn done 👍🏻 in April, London, under the name (Fatal Fury City of the Wolves) I will announce the day and location soon, this will be the first The Ring card in collaboration with the video game and SNK, and I will insist that the PPV price for fans was £19.99, with…

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) January 15, 2025

The pair will meet almost 25 years after their fathers fought in the first of two world title fights, a rivalry that has delighted the British public.

According to Mike Coppinger of ESPNboth men cannot weigh more than 5 pounds over the 160-pound limit on the day of the April 26 fight.

Eubank Jr knocked out Kamil Szeremeta in the seventh round to win the IBO middleweight title in October, after which Benn faced him in the ring.