Last month, Joseph Parker got to within 72 hours of fighting for the IBF heavyweight title but the in-form New Zealander may have to wait just a little longer before getting the chance to become a two-time heavyweight champion.

Parker and Daniel Dubois made their way to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and had all but completed a long week of media appearances and obligations when illness forced the Londoner to withdraw from their IBF title fight at the very last minute.

Despite the disappointment, Parker, 36-3 (24 KOs), admirably maintained his focus and took out the dangerous but unprepared late substitute, Martin Bakole, inside two rounds with a single overhand right.

Twelve months ago, Parker won the interim version of his old WBO title by beating another bogeyman in Zhilei Zhang an, earlier this month, the governing body ordered unified and Ring Magazine champion, Oleksandr Usyk to open negotiations with his mandatory challenger.

Parker - who is ranked at number three by The Ring - will be desperate to maintain his momentum and step directly into a title fight but, speaking on TalkSport, Queensberry’s Frank Warren laid out his ideal scenario for the next few months.

The Hall of Fame promoter revealed that although Parker deserves and wants the fight with Usyk, the 33 year-old’s patience will be rewarded with a crack at the undisputed title if he can wait just a little longer.

“Daniel Dubois is the IBF champion. He’s on a real roll. He fought Usyk and there was a lot of controversy in that fight. It’s a natural rematch and the four belts will be on the line,” Warren said, referencing Usyk’s ninth round stoppage of Dubois in August 2023.

“I've just got to be honest, that’s the direction I would prefer to go because I think it's a bigger fight. I think it fills up Wembley or if we go to Riyadh it's a huge fight and the winner of that fights Joe Parker because the WBO title is the next in line for the mandatory defence.

“So Joe's in there. We give him a fight in the meantime and - whatever happens - he’s got the winner and a fight for the four belts.”