Overview
- Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley meet on 25 October at London’s O2 Arena with their interim belts at stake and the winner designated the WBO mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk.
- Usyk received a 90‑day WBO medical extension for a back injury and, per adviser Sergey Lapin, is targeting a first‑half 2026 return with up to five more fights planned.
- Lapin downplayed a Tyson Fury trilogy, saying that chapter is closed, which elevates Saturday’s winner as the frontrunner for Usyk’s next defense.
- Parker has urged quicker movement at the top, entering on a six‑fight win streak at 36‑3, while unbeaten Wardley is 19‑0‑1 with 18 knockouts after stopping Justis Huni.
- Matchroom is setting a 20 December show in Ghana as a precursor to an Anthony Joshua return targeted for February 2026 in Accra, as new callouts such as Kingsley Ibeh’s continue to surface.