2<\/p>\n Wardley defeated Parker last month to scoop the WBO interim beltCredit: GETTY<\/p>\n In victory, Wardley became the new WBO interim champion and punched his ticket for a fight with undisputed king Usyk.<\/p>\n The WBO had initially ordered Usyk to defend his titles against Parker, but the Ukrainian was granted a medical extension due to a lingering back injury<\/a>, resulting in Wardley receiving the call to face the Kiwi instead.<\/p>\n Wardley’s promoter, Frank Warren, recently revealed that talks have commenced with Usyk’s team<\/a> following his client’s heroics last month.<\/p>\n However, WBO president Gustavo Oliveri insists that the Brit could be ordered to defend his interim title against Itauma<\/a> if Usyk<\/a> has a ‘justifiable reason’ to delay his mandatory defence again.<\/p>\n \u201cThe committee reserves the right to enforce a mandatory on the interim champion,\u201d Olivieri told The Ring.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Usyk is not available for any justified reason, we would enforce a mandatory.\u201d<\/p>\n Moses Itauma’s struggles with pinning down his next opponent <\/p>\n Itauma is currently ranked No.1 by the WBO in boxing’s glamour division and is on the lookout for his next opponent after a series of knockbacks.<\/p>\n The Chatham southpaw was due to headline a Queensberry Promotions card on December 13 in Manchester.<\/p>\n Yet his return to the ring has since been delayed after multiple boxers either priced themselves out of negotiations or flat-out rejected the matchup.<\/p>\n It seemed as though Itauma had finally secured his next dance partner when the WBA ordered Kubrat Pulev to defend his lesser ‘regular’ belt against Itauma.<\/p>\n![\"Wardley](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/crop-3679191.jpg\")
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