WBO ordered the heavyweight master Oleksandr Utyk to start negotiations on the obligatory defense of the title before Joseph Parker.
Usyk (24-0, 15 KO) regained the undisputed heavyweight championship, uniting all four titles for the second time with the victory of TKO in the fifth round over Daniel Dubois on July 19 at the London Wembley stadium.
38 -year -old Usyk entered the rematch as a WBA master, WBO and WBC. Dubois had the title of IBF, Usyk gave up the priority of the rematch with Tyson Fury.
Parker (36-3, 24 KO), which was in a sensational series of fights, won the transient WBO title against Zhilei Zhang in March 2024, and therefore is a must-be contender for the UTYK, the unquestioned master.
According to WBO, the partners have 30 days to reach an agreement before fighting in the handbag offer.
“By virtue of this order, the websites have thirty (30) days after the broadcast of this letter to achieve the conditions,” said WBO in a letter sent to the team of Oolekandra Usyk and Joseph Parker’s team on Tuesday.
“Non -compliance with this will cause that this committee ordered the procedure in the field of bidding of the handbag in accordance with the provisions of the WBO competitions on the world championships.”
The minimum offer is set at USD 1,000,000. Frank Warren, Parker’s promoter, said after the victory of Usyk nad Dubois that Usyk’s first defense should be against Joe Parker, and added that it would be a great fight.
“I mean that I would like to see the fight of Joe Parker. Joe deserves it,” said Warren. “He ran away, just like Daniel, and this is the fight that was ordered.”
Usyk soon became the undisputed champion, defeating Fury in May 2024, but he gave up the IBF belt a month later to make a rematch with fury instead of fighting, and then the compulsory pretender Filip Hrgovic.
He won the belt, defeating Andy Ruiz Jr. In December 2026, and after two successful defenses he lost the title of Anthony Joshu in March 2018 on the basis of a unanimous decision, before he lost the next decision about Dillian Whyte in July 2018.
Since then, Parker won 12 out of 13 fights, including impressive wins over Deontay Wilder in 2023, Zhilei Zhang in 2024 and Martin Bakole in February.
Usyk defended the belt in February, winning the round of the round over Martin Bakole in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Usyk and Parker have 30 days to reach an agreement on the fight or WBO ordering in a purse.