The stakes have just become higher for Kiwi Joseph Parker's heavyweight clash with Brit Joe Joyce next month.
The World Boxing Organisation has ruled that an interim heavyweight title will be on the line, when the pair lock horns at Manchester on September 25 (NZ Time).
Ukrainian Oleksander Usyk is the current holder of the WBO heavyweight crown, which he defended in his rematch against Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia this month.
Talks are currently ongoing between Usyk and supposedly retired Tyson Fury for a blockbuster heavyweight title unification bout in early 2023.
That would mean the No.1 contender - who is currently Joyce - wouldn't have challenged for the WBO crown for more than three years, hence the decision to put an interim title on the line for the fight between the Englishman and second-ranked contender Parker, after a request made by Joyce's promoter Frank Warren.
The two fights between Usyk and Joshua are the only times the WBO title has been up for grabs in the last year, and the organisation views the Parker-Joyce bout as a means of keeping the title active.
The decision also ensures Usyk's highly anticipated date against Fury isn't derailed by any requirement to face a mandatory WBO challenger.
"The activity in the division has been significantly low," said the WBO. "Consequently, we believe that affirmative action towards keeping the division active is warranted.
"We rule that an interim heavyweight championship is justified even more so between the two highest-rated available contenders in the division - the highly regarded undefeated Joe Joyce and the former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, respectively.”
Whoever prevails between Parker and Joyce to become interim champion would then cement their position as the No.1 WBO contender, and put themselves in prime position to challenge the winner between Usyk and Fury.
Parker's manager David Higgins said the interim title douses the bout with extra kudos and - should the South Aucklander get past Joyce - put him at the front of the queue to challenge for the "genuine" world title next year.
"They've acknowledged they have No.1 contender Joyce fighting No. 2 contender Parker - the best fighting the best, so it gives the event special status," Higgins told Newshub.
"I think this is the biggest fight for Joseph and the biggest moment for NZ professional boxing since he beat Andy Ruiz.
"He's now one or two fights away from being heavyweight world champion."
In 2016, Parker won the vacant WBO heavyweight title by beating Andy Ruiz Jr. He twice defended the belt, before losing it to Joshua in 2018.
The undefeated Joyce is fresh off a knockout win over Christian Hammer in July, while Parker most recently earned a unanimous decision win in a rematch with Derek Chisora in December.
