Joseph Parker will be stripped of his WBO interim title after just one second of his fight against Daniel Dubois because of a rather peculiar rule. The New Zealander won the title after defeating Zhilei Zhang by majority decision in Saudi Arabia last March, but he will have to relinquish it as soon as the bell sounds for his fight next month.

However, the Kiwi is set to face Dubois and challenge for his IBF world title on the 22nd of February, which will see him lose his WBO interim title whether he wins the fight or not.

After a shock demolition of Anthony Joshua in September, it seemed as if Dubois would be headed for a rematch against the former heavyweight champion, but an agreement could not be made and Parker was the beneficiary and took the place of AJ.

The negative for Parker, however, is that by taking the fight, he will lose the title he only recently won.

Fighting for a different governing bodies’ belt will result in Parker being stripped of his WBO title as soon as the contest begins.

Statement on Joseph Parker’s Title

He will lose his belt as soon as the fight gets underway

WBO President Gustavo Olivieri posted on social media: “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.”

The 33-year-old previously held the WBO world title after defeating Andy Ruiz Jr in 2016, but subsequently lost it to Joshua in 2018 and followed that up with a loss to Dillian Whyte. Parker has, however, rebuilt his career impressively since suffering his first two defeats. \
While being heavily involved in Tyson Fury’s training camps, he recorded two wins over Derek Chisora before recent victories against Deontay Wilder and Zhang, which led to him getting the opportunity against Dubois.

The winner of the bout will most likely be rewarded with a fight against unified champion Oleksandr Usyk. Victory on the 22nd of February will mean Parker’s journey back to the top of the heavyweight division will almost be complete.

Parker will have to take one step back and lose his WBO interim title, but he could take a giant leap towards a date with Usyk if he can defeat Dubois.