According to WBO heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker (22-0, 18 KOs), his mandatory fight with Hughie Fury (20-0, 10 KOs) is going to take place on May 6th.

The fight was previously mentioned for a date of April 1, likely in New Zealand, but Parker's promoter, Duco Events, had to push the date back because it took Fury so long to sign the contract.

After weeks of negotiations, Fury finally signed the contract on Friday to avoid defaulting on the WBO's set deadline.

Parker, who captured the vacant WBO title in December with a decision over Andy Ruiz, was ringside at the Legacy Arena in Alabama on Saturday night - and watched WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder retain the title with a fifth round knockout of Gerald Washington.

Wilder extended his unbeaten career to 38 with 37 knockouts.

Wilder is now gunning to have a unification with Parker in the coming months, but his pursuit will have to wait a few months after the WBC announced on Sunday that Wilder was ordered to fight Bermane Stiverne in a mandatory rematch.

He views Parker as the first step in eventually fighting the Wladimir Klitschko-Anthony Joshua winner - who collide on April 29th at Wembley with the IBF, IBO, WBA world titles at stake. The winner of Klitschko vs. Joshua will also have some mandatory issues, as the WBA has already ordered the winner to fight Luis Ortiz and the IBF has ordered a mandatory defense against Kubrat Pulev.

"I want to unify the division next. With Parker and the WBO belt, and Joshua and Klitschko fighting for the IBF and WBA, at the end of the year we can combine them once and for all."