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England's Fabio Wardley will be upgraded to heavyweight title holder after the Ukrainian champion opted to give up his championship belt

This situation arises after the champion told boxing authorities he would not proceed with a required championship defense against Wardley

Official Announcement

The championship body announced that Usyk chose to vacate his championship following careful thought"

Usyk still holds the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles, having defeated Daniel Dubois at the famous London venue in mid-year to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion

He first became the all-belt title holder in spring 2024 by defeating the British champion, before vacating another belt shortly after and opting out of facing the obligatory contender

"Boxing official Gustavo Olivieri described Usyk as exceptional in a statement"

"The WBO extends its sincere admiration and thanks to Usyk, an undefeated, two-division WBO undisputed world champion"

"His achievements mark one of the most extraordinary and historic of the contemporary boxing period"

The WBO added that its doors "will always remain open the fighter and his management"

Championship History

Usyk secured the WBO belt in two years ago by defeating Anthony Joshua and went on to defend it four times

In July, the boxing organization mandated talks for a obligatory championship fight against interim champion Joseph Parker, only for a back injury sustained by Usyk to cause the delay of the bout

New Champion's Path

But Wardley, won the provisional belt from the New Zealander with a significant shock in the championship rounds at London's O2 Arena in the previous month and was ordered to fight the champion before the month's conclusion

The WBO is yet to officially confirm the British fighter's elevation but his representative believes it is a formality

"The UK has a recent title holder and a emerging fighting personality"

"A truly extraordinary path throughout my decades as a sports manager and I could not be more pleased for Wardley"

"Major contests coming up for 2026 as he protects his championship and builds his reputation in the fighting community"

Wardley only began boxing at twenty years old, coming through the unlicensed white-collar scene and has had only 21 pro bouts

What's Next

• The likely championship upgrade signals a major shift in the weight class
• The Ukrainian's move to vacate the belt creates fresh possibilities for other contenders
• The fighting community now anticipates verification from the boxing organization
• The British fighter's journey from unconventional beginning to title holder continues to inspire many