Parker, who has the WBO interim title, had previously been in talks to face Usyk, only for the latter to sustain a back injury. The New Zealander has instead now chosen to take on what many consider to be a major risk to his No1 contender status against Wardley, the former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion who picked up the interim WBA belt with a devastating 10th-round knockout of Justis Huni on home soil in Ipswich in June that came while he was losing on the scorecards.