Oleksandr Usyk was sat ringside with Anthony Joshua as they watched Joseph Parker’s statement victory in Riyadh.
The WBO interim heavyweight champion produced a devastating performance as he knocked out Martin Bakole in the second round.
Parker called for a bout with Usyk after his sixth straight victory, with the Ukrainian watching on in the crowd.
Footage from ringside captured both Usyk and Joshua’s reaction to the knockout blow.
The pair could be seen intensely watching on before they were left stunned by Parker’s vicious overhand right.
Joshua leant back in shock as he rested his arm on Usyk, with the duo staring at each other in amazement.
Usyk could then be seen rising to his feet and applauding Parker, who he could now face next.
A bout with Daniel Dubois had been a possibility before the IBF champion was forced to withdraw from his scheduled meeting with Parker.
As a result, Bakole stepped in on short notice to face the New Zealander, who now has a professional record of 36-3 with 24 knockouts.
After the fight, Parker paid tribute to his opponent before calling for a blockbuster showdown with Usyk.
The 33-year-old said: “Martin Bakole, thank you very much for accepting the challenge and flying all the way here on short notice to give me a good fight.
“I just went out there, listened to Andy [Lee] and stayed calm, structured and composed to get the victory.
“I’m fit, I’m strong, I’m healthy, I’m sharp thanks to these two men and my hard work.
“Andy was breaking it down for me and I had to be patient. I want to say, who is next? How do I fight for the world title next?
“If Usyk wants a dance partner then I will get Frank [Warren] in here to lock in a fight. I want to be champion of the world again soon.”
Parker has now won six fights in a row since losing to Joe Joyce in 2022.
He also previously faced Joshua, suffering a unanimous decision defeat at the Millennium Stadium in 2018.
As for AJ, he has been out of the ring since suffering his fourth professional loss to Dubois in September.
Meanwhile, the Brit previously faced Usyk twice in 2021 and 2022, losing both bouts via decision.
As for the undefeated world champion, Usyk extended his record to 23-0 with 14 knockouts by beating Tyson Fury for a second time in December.
He had planned to face the winner of Dubois vs Parker before the former was forced to withdraw through illness.
Usyk remains keen on a unification bout with Dynamite, who he previously faced in 2023.
Dubois was stopped in the ninth round after dropping Usyk with a controversial low blow earlier in the fight.
The 27-year-old has since picked up wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Joshua to move to 22-2 as a professional.
