The World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is likely to defend his title against interim champion Joseph Parker, but nothing is set in stone.
Recall that on the 21st of December 2024, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury faced off for the heavyweight title in Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Usyk won the bout by unanimous decision with all three ringside judges scoring it 116–112. As a result, Fury was forced to retire, thereby marking the final fight of his professional career, as he retired (for the second time) on the 13th of January 2025.
The potential challenger to Usyk‘s heavyweight title is New Zealand’s Parker, who previously held the WBO title from 2016 to 2018, having defeated Andy Ruiz Jr to claim the vacant belt before losing it to Anthony Joshua.
On the other hand, Usyk is an undefeated champion as he remains unbeaten in his professional career, having won his previous 23 fights with 14 knockouts. He was an undisputed cruiserweight champion before moving to the heavyweight division, where he achieved the same feat.
Negotiations are ongoing to see if the underdog, Parker can square up against the undefeated champion, Usyk.
No resolution has been reached yet, however, parties may agree on the time, venue and contractual terms & obligations to be fulfilled as soon as talks are concluded.
Continue to visit mmcnation.com for further updates.