Oleksandr Usyk: WBO orders heavyweight champion to face Joseph Parker next | Boxing News

Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered by the WBO to begin negotiations for a mandatory title defence against Joseph Parker.

Parker is the WBO interim champion.

Usyk and Parker have 30 days to reach an agreement for the ordered mandatory defence, otherwise the WBO will order purse bid proceedings.

Parker’s promoter David Higgins told Sky Sports: “We have no idea whether or not it will happen next.

“But I can tell you this. I’ve spoken to Joseph Parker today and he would love to fight for a world title. He will fight anyone, anywhere for a world title.

“That’s his goal, to fight for a world title. Joseph is patiently waiting, keeping fit, and if an opportunity comes to fight for a title, he would love to grab it.

“We’d take it in a heartbeat.”

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Usyk told Sky Sports he won’t be sticking around for much longer with the Ukrainian saying he has a maximum of two fights left

In a notice published on the WBO’s website on Thursday morning, negotiations for the Usyk-Parker bout were ordered in an email to the respective fighter’s promoters by the organisation’s chairman and founder Luis Batista Salas.

“Please be advised that the WBO World Championship Committee is hereby ordering the commencement of negotiations between to discharge the WBO mandatory championship obligation in the heavyweight division,” the order said.

“By virtue of this order, the WBO Interim Championship shall be terminated expeditiously in compliance with our institutional policy of only one world champion per weight class.

“The parties have 30 days to reach terms. Failure to do so will result in this committee ordering purse bid proceedings in accordance with WBO regulations of World Championship Contests.”

More to follow…

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