Joseph Parker to be stripped of title as soon as Daniel Dubois fight starts
Parker will go head-to-head with the Brit in Riyadh next month for Daniel’s IBF title, but the Kiwi sensation will be making a big sacrifice upon the first bell
Joseph Parker will be stripped of his WBO interim heavyweight champion as soon as the first bell sounds for his upcoming showdown with Daniel Dubois.
The 33-year-old’s status will be declared void as the Kiwi star is challenging for another organisation’s belt. With Dubois the current IBF king, it has given the WBO no choice but to strip Parker as soon as he trades blows with the Brit next month.
Parker has been on absolute tear since suffering a brutal knockout defeat to Joe Joyce in 2022. After wins over Jack Massey, Faiga Opelu and Simon Kean, the 33-year-old picked up the biggest win of his career back in December 2023 – defeating former world champion Deontay Wilder. He then followed that up with a dominant performance over Zhilei Zhang last year to claim the WBO interim strap.
In a post uploaded to X – formerly known as Twitter – this afternoon, WBO President Gustavo Olivieri confirmed that Parker would be the interim champion for one second of his dust-up with ‘Triple D’ before losing the title. The post reads: “The WBO Interim Heavyweight Champion, Joseph Parker, embodies the true spirit of the sport. A consummate professional, a gentleman, and a champion both inside and outside the ring, Parker has represented the WBO with great honour and integrity.
“In accordance with WBO policy regarding the unification of interim titles, we have mutually agreed that Joseph Parker will enter the ring as champion, and he will be announced as such. However, upon the sound of the opening bell, the title will be declared vacant. We extend our sincere appreciation to Joseph Parker for his dedication to the sport and look forward to his continued success in his career. All the best against Dubois. The doors of the WBO will always be open.”
Parker is looking to become a world champion for a second time after holding the WBO gold belt between 2016 and 2018. After beating, Andy Ruiz Jr, Razvan Cojanu and Hughie Fury, the New Zealander lost the title in 2018 after suffering a defeat to Anthony Joshua in Cardiff.
Speaking about the upcoming fight with Dubois at a recent press conference, Parker said: “I’m very excited to be fighting for the championship of the world for the second time. Two-time world champion sounds beautiful.” After Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury last month, Dubois was quick to rush the ring to call out the Ukrainian. “It’s all about making noise. This is show business. That’s who I want next, but first I’ve got to get through this guy,” said Dubois.
Asked whether he was looking beyond Parker, Dubois replied: “No way, I’m going to do a demolition job on him first, then I want Usyk next. I’m ready for it, I’m on a roll, so bring them on.” Parker replied: “You might be looking too far ahead, planning other big fights when you’ve got a fight in front of you right now,” before the Brit said: “I’ve got my mind firmly set on you.” The Kiwi later added: “I’ve been boxing for a while and I feel like I’ve only just begun now. You’re in for a treat.”
