Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered to defend his WBO heavyweight crown against Joseph Parker – or face the prospect of being stripped of the prestigious belt. The Ukrainian secured undisputed heavyweight supremacy for a second occasion following his devastating knockout victory over Daniel Dubois before 90,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium last weekend.

Usyk dominated proceedings from the opening bell to the final moment. Although ‘Triple D’ enjoyed fleeting success during the contest, the ‘Cat’ swiftly concluded matters in the fifth round. Usyk floored the British fighter with a crushing right hook and against expectations, Dubois managed to rise from the canvas, only to be finished moments afterwards when the Ukrainian unleashed a precision left hand.

Following his second triumph over the Briton, Usyk has received a rather firm directive from the WBO. The sanctioning organisation has commanded the two-weight undisputed champion to put the title on the line against Parker.

In correspondence dispatched to both camps, the WBO stated: “Gentlemen: Please be advised that the WBO World Championship Committee is hereby ordering the commencement of negotiations between the subject matter fighters to discharge the mandatory title defence obligation.

“By virtue of this order, the parties have thirty (30) days upon issuance of this letter 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. The minimum bid in the Heavyweight division is one-million dollars ($1,000,000.00). Any of the parties herein may request purse bid proceedings at any time during negotiation stages.

“Lastly, the WBO reserves its right to issue any and all further rulings deemed necessary, helpful and convenient to accomplish the purposes, policies, and intent of the WBO rules, including but not limited to serving those interests that best serve boxing, and the WBO Heavyweight Division. Do not hesitate to contact the WBO headquarters if you have any questions or concerns.”

Should Usyk choose not to face Parker, he will be forced to surrender his WBO belt – or face being stripped of it.

In the immediate aftermath of Saturday night’s bout, boxing promoter Frank Warren disclosed his desire to see Usyk take on Parker next, whilst also confirming that Tyson Fury has requested a third encounter with the Ukrainian.

When questioned about which contest he’d prefer to witness next for Usyk, Warren told his post-fight press conference: “His [Usyk’s] first defence of his title is the WBO belt and that will be against Joe Parker. So that again would be a great fight.

“I mean I would like to see the Joe Parker fight. Joe deserves it. He’s on a run himself, same as Daniel was on, and that’s the fight that’s been ordered. So one way or another it will happen, or Joe will fight for the vacant title. Tyson has made it very clear to me; he’d love that [Usyk] fight, he would love to do that fight and it’d be a big fight.”

The New Zealand fighter is enjoying a remarkable run of form, having defeated Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole in succession. Parker’s coach, Andy Lee, recently disclosed that his charge possesses the tools to spring a surprise against the Ukrainian champion and has outlined their tactical preparations.

“What we work on in the gym is being ready at all times and body language in the ring, and keeping your feet in a position where you’re always ready to punch,” Lee explained on the Ariel x Ade Show. “If you are resting and you are taking a break, you don’t show it. You look as if you are ready to attack and you’re ready to punch. That’s basically what we do and that’s what Usyk does.

“Usyk feeds off his opponent’s breaks. When they look to take that little switch, he’ll attack them. He can pressure, pressure, pressure, feint with his magic wand right hand and he just burns them up. They are mentally exhausted as much as physically. And then when he wants to rest, he can move and dip and dive under the big guys’ punches.”

When is Oleksandr Usyk’s next fight?

Usyk was planning on taking a break for the remainder of the year to recuperate and spend quality time with his family before considering his next move in the boxing ring. Reflecting on his age following the bout with Dubois, Usyk declared: “38 is a young guy, remember! 38 is only the start!

“I want to say thank you to Jesus Christ. I want to say thank you to my team and Wembley, thank you so much! It’s for the people. Nothing is next. It’s enough, next, I don’t know. I want to rest. My family, my wife, my children, I want to rest now. Two or three months, I want to just rest.”

He further hinted at potential future opponents, saying: “Maybe it’s Tyson Fury. Maybe we have three choices, Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua. Maybe Joseph Parker. Listen, I cannot now say because I want to go back home.”