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The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has ordered negotiations to begin between heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk and Joseph Parker for a mandatory defense of the belt.
Usyk, who retained his three belts (WBC, WBA and WBO) after his unanimous decision victory over Tyson Fury in December 2024, remains unbeaten with 23 fights won, 14 by KO. Parker retained his WBO interim title in February with a second-round KO victory over Martin Bakole in a fight held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The World Boxing Organization has given both fighters 30 days to set a date for the fight. If they do not do so “it will order the prize purse bidding process in accordance with current regulations”.
The New Zealander Joseph Parker won the WBO heavyweight title in December 2016 after defeating Andy Ruiz Jr. He held it until March 2018 when he lost it to Anthony Joshua along with the IBO and IBF belts. After suffering his third career defeat to Joe Joyce in 2022, Parker has six consecutive victories, including one against Deontay Wilder in December 2023
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