Oleksandr Usyk has reclaimed his status as undisputed heavyweight champion.
The Ukrainian great knocked out Daniel Dubois in the fifth round of their battle at Wembley Stadium in London to add the IBF belt to his WBC, WBA and WBO collection and become undisputed heavyweight champion for the second time, and undisputed for the third time overall after his success at cruiserweight.
It’s unknown what Usyk’s next move will be after his win over Dubois, but there are countless options available for the Ukrainian, including battles with the likes of Derek Chisora, Tyson Fury, Agit Kabayel, or even retirement.
The most sought after option for boxing fans would likely be a showdown with Joseph Parker, who is the current WBO mandatory and riding high after wins over fighters such as Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole.
That appears to be the same thought process for Usyk, who in the ring after his win stated that Parker was a strong option for his next opponent.
Parker has now spoken out about Usyk’s win over Dubois, telling Boxing King Media that he was extremely impressed with the Ukrainian’s victory.
“I’m not stunned I know that. He broke him down, he was patient. Daniel Dubois for me looked better, he landed some good shots in the beginning and was going back and forth and got Usyk’s attention, but Usyk was patient. Faints, movement, footwork, it all came together for him
“He threw with bad intentions and wanted to get him out of there today. I hope he calls me out. Let’s let him enjoy this moment. He’s worked so hard in camp and now he’s two time unified undisputed champion of the world. This is his time to enjoy it and then after that we’ll make some noise. He’s the top.”
Parker previously reigned as WBO heavyweight champion from 2016 to 2018, and will be hoping to land a fight with Usyk to attempt to get back on the top of the division.
