Oleksandr Usyk left Wembley buzzing after a fifth-round demolition of Daniel Dubois, yet promoter Frank Warren already sees the next hurdle: interim-champion Joseph Parker. Speaking at the post-fight news conference, Warren reminded reporters that the WBO’s rotation makes Parker the mandatory challenger for Usyk’s first defence of the freshly regained undisputed crown. “Joe deserves it. He’s on a run, and that’s the fight that’s been ordered,” Warren said, adding that if Usyk vacates, Parker will fight for the vacant belt.
Warren also revealed heavyweight intrigue on another front. Tyson Fury, twice beaten by Usyk, has asked Warren to pursue a third meeting with the Ukrainian master. “Tyson has made it very clear to me - he’d love that fight,” Warren confirmed, acknowledging the commercial pull of a rubber match while noting that Parker’s mandatory status can’t be ignored.
The promoter’s stable is crowded at the top: along with Parker and Fury, rising prospect Moses Itauma earned public praise from Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, who floated Itauma-Usyk as a future spectacle. Still, Warren sees the WBO obligation as the logical next chapter - whether Usyk obliges or leaves Parker to claim a vacant strap.
Regardless of which path Usyk chooses, Warren hailed the 38-year-old as “a special, special fighter,” citing his mental resilience and knockout artistry in hostile territory. With two wins apiece over Dubois, Fury and Anthony Joshua - and a mandate pointing toward Parker - Usyk’s reign rolls on, and the heavyweight chessboard resets once more.
Image Credit: Sky Sports