WORLD heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk says his aim is to fight Daniel Dubois next.
Usyk, who holds the WBC, WBA and WBO titles, has been ordered by the WBO to face his mandatory challenger Joseph Parker after a letter dated March 13 was sent to both teams.
Promoters Alex Krassyuk and Frank Warren were given 30 days to agree terms.
Speaking to Al Arabiya English Usyk says he is aware of the WBO’s decision but remains firm on facing Dubois, the IBF title holder, for the chance to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion.
“The WBO told us that I should defend this title but now our aim is the goal of our team to unite our belts with Daniel Dubois,” he said.
“We want to fight Dubois. My team is ready. A lot depends on how God will give us a way to do it and the second is the person who can do it is His Excellency Turki Alalshikh because he’s the person who can organise this fight because I think there would be obstacles otherwise. The only person who can organise is His Excellency and the Riyadh Season.”
The Ukrainian already holds a win over Dubois after recovering from a ruled low blow to knock the Brit out in the ninth round of their August 2023 bout in Poland.
Usyk, 23-0, 14 KOs, became the first undisputed champion in 25 years with victory over Tyson Fury in May last year. The world’s number one heavyweight repeated the feat seven months later with another points win. However, the return bout was without the IBF title after Usyk vacated the belt in June. At the beginning of the month Dubois defeated Filip Hrgovic to win the interim version but was later upgraded to full champion status.
In September Dubois made a stunning first defence with a fifth round knockout win over Anthony Joshua in their Wembley Stadium showdown where Joshua was dropped four times.
Dubois then moved forward to a fight against Joseph Parker last month but the New Zealander was denied his title shot when the champion withdrew due to illness during fight week. Parker subsequently beat late, late replacement Martin Bakole in two rounds to extend his impressive run.
