Poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole) (PBO) fiber with polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) pendent groups was made to improve PBO fiber compressive strength by crosslinking. PPS moieties allowed the polymeric network to crosslink at heat-treatment temperatures at which PBO does not thermally degrade. PBO-PPS fiber heat-treated for 30 s at 600-degrees-C did not dissolve or break up in methanesulfonic acid. Compressive strength of crosslinked fiber was about 20% better than that of unmodified PBO fiber. In another experiment, 10 mol % of 2,5-diphenylsulfideterephthalic acid was incorporated into PBO fiber. The side chain of one phenyl sulfide unit was too short to enhance crosslinking, and the fiber had about the same compressive strength as unmodified PBO fiber.