Parker's route to being two-time world champion: 'We want Usyk'

Joseph Parker wants to become a two-time world champion the hard way – by taking on the undefeated Oleksandr Usyk, rated as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.

The news that the WBO has ordered Ukrainian Usyk to fight the rejuvenated Parker or risk being stripped of the title has been welcomed by the New Zealander’s team.

But rather than fight for a vacant title, nine years after first winning it in similar fashion against Andy Ruiz Jnr in Auckland, Parker wants to face the best in the division, according to his coach Andy Lee.

Parker was on the brink of fighting for the IBF world title against Daniel Dubois in Riyadh recently, only for his English rival to pull out at the last minute citing illness.

Having avoided the Parker challenge, Dubois is now in negotiations with Usyk for a big-money unification bout at Wembley Stadium. But the WBO’s move to make Parker their mandatory challenger and force the issue changes the heavyweight landscape significantly.

"People want Joe to fight Usyk," Lee told The Ring Magazine. "People have seen Dubois fight Usyk already. It wasn't that long ago. People have already seen Usyk-Dubois and Usyk won by stoppage.

"For us, our first preference is to fight Usyk, definitely. If not, we'll fight for the vacant title but we want to fight Usyk, that’s our aim."

Parker, 33, has earned the right to fight the best by virtue of his stoppage win of Martin Bakole – the replacement for Dubois – along with his excellent wins over feared fighters Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.

Should Usyk opt to fight Dubois instead, as seems likely, Parker may fight Justis Huni for the vacant title as the Australian is the next on the WBO rankings.

There is also talk about Moses Itauma, a 20-year-old Englishman striving to beat Mike Tyson’s record as the youngest ever world heavyweight champion, being in the frame.

Lee said: "Huni is the number one contender. I’ve seen the talk about Moses being lined up to fight Huni but if I was Huni’s people I wouldn’t be fighting Itauma now. Why wouldn’t he stay No.1 and then potentially fight a legend in an Australia v New Zealand clash for the world heavyweight title?"

Itauma has until May 19 to break Tyson’s record.

The southpaw, already 11-0 as a professional, a record which includes 10 knockout wins, sparred with Parker, now 36-3, in the lead up to the Kiwi’s fight against Zhang.

Asked how Itauma would fare against Parker in a competitive fight, Lee said: "Moses is a hell of a fighter but, if he were to step in with Joe Parker, it’s a big ask for him. It's a big step up for him. In fact, it's a massive step up for him.

"You're daring to be great and all, but you're also running the risk of hurting him. You're getting a young fighter very hurt. He's only a young guy and then how does that affect him for the rest of his career? I don't know.

"I saw them spar. It was four rounds. It was very competitive. But for four rounds, everyone can be competitive. If Joe's going to do four rounds with another guy after that, and then another four rounds after that with another guy, you're going to do well. And it wasn't as if he did particularly well — they were just competitive rounds. Joe probably got the better of it, but it was very competitive."