WBO orders Usyk to negotiate mandatory defense against Parker

The World Boxing Organization has ordered unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk to negotiate a mandatory title defense against Joseph Parker within 30 days, or risk being stripped of his WBO belt. Usyk, who also holds the WBC and WBA titles, recently secured his championship status with two victories over Tyson Fury. Parker, the WBO interim champion, defended his title with a second-round knockout of Martin Bakole last month and is on a six-fight winning streak. Meanwhile, IBF champion Daniel Dubois, who was previously expected to challenge Usyk, withdrew from a fight against Parker due to illness and is now focused on a potential rematch with Usyk. The negotiations between Usyk and Parker could complicate Dubois's aspirations for a title shot, as both fighters seek to solidify their standings in the heavyweight division. The WBO has emphasized that if an agreement is not reached, purse bids will be ordered to determine the bout's financial terms.