The World Boxing Organisation has issued a formal directive requiring Oleksandr Usyk to negotiate a mandatory defence of his heavyweight championship against Joseph Parker within the next month.
The sanctioning body announced on Thursday that both camps must reach an agreement within 30 days or face a compulsory purse auction with a minimum bid of $1million.
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri confirmed the ruling, stating that the organisation was enforcing its policy of maintaining one world champion per weight division.
The New Zealand fighter holds the WBO interim championship, which will be terminated following completion of the mandatory bout.
PA | Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered to fight Joseph Parker next
The Ukrainian champion reclaimed his undisputed status last Saturday when he halted Daniel Dubois in the fifth round before 90,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium.
The 38-year-old floored the British fighter twice during the contest, first with a devastating right hook before finishing proceedings with a precise left hand moments after Dubois had beaten the count.
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This marked Usyk's second stoppage victory over Dubois, having previously defeated him in Poland in 2023.
The triumph made Usyk a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion and a three-time undisputed champion across all weight divisions, adding to his previous reign as the sole undisputed cruiserweight king in the four-belt era.
Parker secured the WBO interim championship by knocking out Martin Bakole in February, a bout that materialised after his scheduled fight with Dubois fell through at 48 hours' notice due to the Briton's illness.
The 32-year-old New Zealander previously held the full WBO title from 2016 to 2018 before losing it to Anthony Joshua in Cardiff.
Following a knockout defeat to Joe Joyce in 2022, Parker has mounted an impressive comeback with victories over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Bakole in his most recent outings.
Should Usyk wish to pursue alternative opponents, he could relinquish the WBO belt, mirroring his decision to vacate the IBF title last year to facilitate his rematch with Tyson Fury.
Parker's trainer Andy Lee, who previously worked with Fury during his two defeats to Usyk, revealed the tactical approach required to challenge the champion.
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Reuters | Oleksandr Usyk delivered a brutal knockout to Daniel Dubois in the fifth round on Saturday evening
"What we work on in the gym is being ready at all times and body language in the ring, and keeping your feet in a position where you're always ready to punch," Lee explained on DAZN's Ariel x Ade show.
Lee noted that Usyk capitalises on opponents' moments of respite, using constant pressure and feints to exhaust them both mentally and physically.
Following his Wembley triumph, Usyk expressed uncertainty about his future, stating: "Nothing is next. It's enough, next, I don't know. I want to rest."
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