Parker Has The Heart To Beat Wardley To Aim For A Duel With Usyk Or Ituma

JAKARTA Joseph Parker will try to seal victory against Fabio Wardley as the entrance to get a big fight against Oleksandr Usyk or Moses Ituma.

Parker and Wardley are scheduled to board the ring for their clashes on October 25, 2025 at the O2 Arena, London, England. The duel winner will be a mandatory challenger for Usyk's WBO heavyweight title.

Usyk on the other hand has two options in his hands. He had to undergo this mandatory match to maintain his undisputed world champion status or empty his WBO belt.

If the Ukrainian hero prefers the second option, then the winner of the Parker vs Wardley duel will automatically get full status as WBO and Ituma world heavyweight champions being the number one challenger.

"There are many options available after this fight. If I can't beat Fabio Wardley, there's no point in talking about Ituma, Usyk, or anyone else," Parker said.

Parker should have had a duel with Usyk after the Ukrainian secured victory against Daniel Dubois in July 2025. However, Usyk needed recovery due to injury.

Usyk's decision to file a request to extend negotiations made Parker decide to join the ring to risk the WBO interm title against Wardley. So, if he loses then he loses the chance against Usyk.

Parker said that currently he is focusing on a battle that is already in sight and is putting aside the possibility of fighting Usyk or Ituma.

"All my focus is on Fabio Wardley. He deserves respect, the position he ranks as the first in the WBA and he deserves my full attention," he said.

Parker's desire to win against Wardley is certainly not easy. His potential opponent came from being powerless against Justis Huni to win a knockout in his last fight.