Usyk seeks time to negotiate Parker title bid amid medical extension

Oleksandr Usyk has asked for more time to negotiate his next fight after becoming a two time undisputed heavyweight champion in July, a move that has left mandatory challenger Joseph Parker and his team questioning whether the champion is genuinely injured or maneuvering to pick a different opponent. The World Boxing Organization ordered Usyk to face Parker after Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois, giving both sides 30 days to reach terms, but Usyk’s camp filed for a medical extension citing injury and the governing body granted a pause on negotiations.

Parker’s promoter, David Higgins, said he has seen no medical evidence supporting the injury claim and pointed to a viral video of Usyk dancing in public as grounds for skepticism. I have not actually seen the medical evidence, but you would think that a serious injury would prevent that sort of activity, Higgins told reporters. He added that Parker is focused and ready to fight as soon as possible.

Usyk’s team has not publicly disclosed detailed medical documentation, and the champion’s advisers have said only that he needs time to recover from injuries sustained in the Dubois fight. That uncertainty has prompted competing narratives in...