"Joseph Parker's camp shares concerning news on the status of the upcoming fight against Oleksandr Usyk"
Oleksandr Usyk, the undisputed heavyweight champion, has been ordered by the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) to defend his title against Joseph Parker, with both parties given 30 days from late July 2025 to reach an agreement. However, as of early August, Parker's team has revealed that Usyk has not engaged in any negotiation talks regarding this mandatory fight.
The WBO interim champion and the next logical challenger following his recent wins over notable opponents, Parker, has yet to come close to finalising the bout with Usyk. This delay is partly due to the lack of enthusiasm from key promoters associated with Usyk, such as Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season, who have shown interest in alternative opponents for Usyk, like Moses Itauma.
Joseph Parker's manager, David Higgins, has stated that Usyk has not engaged in any discussion over a WBO mandatory defence. The Kiwi's manager believes that Usyk may not defend his title, as he has yet to get in contact with the relevant parties over a week after the issuance of the WBO's letter.
If Usyk chooses not to make a defence against Parker, he could be stripped of the WBO title. In such a scenario, Parker will likely be elevated to full WBO world champion again, as he was before his loss to Anthony Joshua in 2018.
Parker remains hopeful that he will get an opportunity to fight for all four world titles against Usyk. However, he feels that he may be overlooked by Usyk in potential negotiations for a fight. Usyk mentioned Tyson Fury, Derek Chisora, and Anthony Joshua before Parker in his list of potential opponents.
Frank Warren, who promotes Parker in the UK, has reportedly not received any engagement from Usyk or his team regarding the mandatory defence. The lack of engagement from Usyk's side has left the fight's status uncertain and potentially in jeopardy if Usyk does not comply with the WBO's mandate.
In the meantime, Itauma, the next highest-ranked heavyweight by the WBO, could act as Parker's first defence if the Usyk fight does not materialise. Itauma flattened Mike Balogun to climb to the top of the WBO rankings in May, securing his position as a potential challenger.
As the deadline for negotiations approaches, both parties and boxing fans eagerly await a decision from Usyk. The outcome could shape the heavyweight division for the remainder of the year.
The manager of Joseph Parker, David Higgins, has claimed that Usyk has not discussed the WBO mandatory defence, raising concerns about Usyk's commitment to defending his title. If Usyk fails to engage in negotiations, he risks being stripped of his WBO title, and Parker may fight Itauma, the next highest-ranked heavyweight by the WBO, as his first defence instead.
