No one would bat an eye if Oleksandr Usyk rode off into the sunset right now. At 38 years old, Usyk has accomplished everything a boxer could dream of. He could retire undefeated, undisputed and a legend of the sport. But he has shown no signs of decline and is hungry for more.
After a stunning knockout win over Daniel Dubois, Usyk admitted that 38 could be just the start for him. Rumors of his next fight have already floated around heavily, with a trilogy fight against Tyson Fury initially looking like a lock. That may no longer be a sure thing, though, and Usyk now has a deadline and pressure to face a different heavyweight, Joseph Parker.
WBO orders Oleksandr Usyk to fight Joseph Parker next
On Thursday, the WBO (World Boxing Organization) ordered Usyk to put his heavyweight belt from the sanctioning body on the line in a bout against the mandatory challenger, which is Parker. Usyk and Parker now have 30 days to negotiate a deal, followed by purse bids.
This isn’t the first time Usyk has been ordered by one of the main organizations to defend a title. During the summer of 2024, Usyk had been ordered by the IBF to fight the mandatory challenger at the time, Filip Hrgovic. Usyk had another thing on his mind, disregarding the IBF’s call and prioritizing the rematch with Fury at the end of the year.
Usyk was stripped, unified the belts with his second victory over Fury, then reclaimed his IBF title against Dubois last week. Usyk may choose to take a similar path this time around, but a trilogy fight against Fury isn’t guaranteed in any way. It sounds like Fury’s next opponent will likely be Anthony Joshua, if he even does come out of retirement.
While Parker isn’t a big name like Fury or Joshua, he’s a fantastic fighter in the prime of his career. Defeating Parker now would only further cement Usyk’s legacy as an all-time great.
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