Fabio Wardley Poised to Become World Heavyweight Champion as Ukrainian Champion Usyk Relinquishes Title

England's boxing star is set to be promoted to heavyweight title holder after Oleksandr Usyk decided to relinquish his championship belt

This situation arises after Usyk informed the World Boxing Organisation he would not proceed with a required championship defense against Wardley

Boxing Organization's Position

The boxing organization confirmed that Usyk chose to vacate his championship following careful thought"

Usyk continues to possess the multiple world titles, having defeated Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in mid-year to become a double undisputed champion

He originally secured the all-belt title holder in last year by defeating the British champion, before vacating another belt shortly after and opting out of facing the required opponent

"Organization head Gustavo Olivieri described Usyk as exceptional in a official release"

"Officials expressed its sincere admiration and thanks to the Ukrainian champion, an perfect record holder across weight classes"

"His achievements mark one of the most impressive and memorable of the recent fighting history"

The boxing body stated that its doors "will always remain open Usyk and his team"

Title Reign

Usyk won the world title in recently by defeating Anthony Joshua and went on to protect his title repeatedly

In mid-year, the boxing organization mandated talks for a obligatory championship fight against temporary title holder Parker, only for a back injury sustained by Usyk to cause the delay of the contest

British Fighter's Journey

But the 30-year-old British fighter, won the provisional belt from Parker with a major surprise in the championship rounds at London's O2 Arena recently and was ordered to fight the champion before the end of September

The championship body still needs to verify the title change but his representative believes it is a done deal

"England has a recent title holder and a new star of the sport"

"A truly extraordinary path I've seen in my 45 years as a boxing representative and I could not be prouder of Fabio Wardley"

"Some huge fights ahead for 2026 as he defends his WBO belt and creates a true legacy in the fighting community"

Wardley entered the sport aged 20, emerging from the amateur circuit and has had only 21 pro bouts

What's Next

• Wardley's expected promotion marks a significant moment in heavyweight boxing
• The Ukrainian's move to give up the championship opens new opportunities for more fighters
• The boxing world now awaits official confirmation from the championship body
• The champion's path from late starter to championship status continues to inspire many