Usyk Vacates Titles but Remains Active
Oleksandr Usyk, the Olympic champion and current heavyweight world champion, has announced that he will vacate all his championship belts but is not retiring from boxing.
The 39-year-old Ukrainian fighter, who holds an undefeated professional record of 25 wins, previously held the WBA 'super', WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles.
"This is a well-considered decision that I am confident will open new opportunities for me. This is not the end of the story. The continuation lies ahead," he stated on X.
Prior to his most recent fight in May, where he secured a hard-fought victory over Rico Verhoeven in Egypt, Usyk had expressed his intention to continue fighting on two more occasions before deciding whether to retire.
"I want to vacate all the belts that I currently hold to make them available for the guys next in line to fight for them.
Friends, I'm leaving the belts but not the sport because I still have my last dance."
Usyk, a two-time undisputed world champion, was challenged significantly by Verhoeven, who, despite having only one professional boxing match, brought a strong kickboxing background. Usyk ultimately secured the win late in the 11th round.
Sanctioning bodies enforce mandatory challengers on a rotating basis, and the next contender in line is WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel. Kabayel is widely regarded as the most deserving contender yet to receive a title shot and has quietly built a strong resume in the heavyweight division.
Meanwhile, British boxer Daniel Dubois, who has lost twice to Usyk, currently holds the WBO heavyweight title after defeating Fabio Wardley earlier this year.
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