A POTENTIAL undisputed clash between Oleksandr Usyk and Joseph Parker has been slated for April, with a range of locations being highlighted as possible options.
WBO ‘interim’ champion Parker, 36-3 (24 KOs), of course, must first come through Fabio Wardley, who he will face tomorrow evening at London’s O2 Arena.
Heading into their showdown as a sizable favourite, the New Zealander is considered by many to be the leading contender for heavyweight king Usyk, 24-0 (15 KOs).
Since suffering an 11th-round stoppage defeat to Joe Joyce in 2022, Parker has largely reinvented himself and, with help from head trainer Andy Lee and strength and conditioning coach George Lockhart, is now regarded as one of his division’s most elite operators.
Points victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, in particular, saw the former world champion produce two of his most convincing performances.
Then, after he was supposed to face Daniel Dubois this past February, Parker instead took care of business against late-replacement Martin Bakole with a blistering second-round finish.
At that point, it seemed that the 33-year-old was poised to just sit around, waiting for his ordered shot at Usyk.
But instead, the WBO mandatory challenger has opted to risk his favourable position against Wardley, a dangerous knockout specialist who comes off a truly stunning 10th-round finish over Justis Huni.
The immediate future of undisputed champion Usyk, meanwhile, has suddenly become a lot clearer, with the Ukrainian’s advisor, Serhii Lapin, confirming his client’s interest in facing the winner of Parker-Wardley.
That much was mentioned in a Ready to Fight article earlier this week, while Goldstar Promotions founder Spencer Brown, who manages Parker, seems equally keen to get the ball rolling.
“[Usyk] had only just defended his titles [against Tyson Fury], and they [the WBO] were on him straight away,” Brown told Boxing News.
“Usyk just wanted a bit of time with his family, and now we’re ready to rock and roll. [Usyk vs Parker] could be anywhere; it could be in America, England, Saudi Arabia or even New Zealand. It all comes down to money.
“I’d have thought that, after [the Wardley fight], the next [date] would probably be in April.”
