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England's Fabio Wardley is set to be promoted to WBO heavyweight champion after Usyk decided to relinquish his world title

This situation arises after Ukrainian fighter notified the WBO he would not engage in a obligatory title fight against Wardley

Official Announcement

The championship body announced that Usyk had "elected to relinquish his belt after deep reflection"

Usyk still holds the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles, having defeated Daniel Dubois at the famous London venue in the summer month to become a repeat unified title holder

He originally secured the complete unified champion in May 2024 by defeating the British champion, before vacating another belt shortly after and deciding not to fight the required opponent

"Boxing official Gustavo Olivieri praised the Ukrainian fighter in a statement"

"The WBO extends its profound respect, admiration and gratitude to Oleksandr Usyk, an undefeated, two-division WBO undisputed world champion"

"His record represents one of the most extraordinary and historic of the recent fighting history"

The boxing body stated that its institution will continue to support Usyk and his team"

Belt Timeline

The champion captured the championship in recently by beating the British star and went on to successfully defend multiple times

In mid-year, the championship body required discussions for a required title defense against New Zealand's Parker, only for a back injury sustained by Usyk to require rescheduling of the contest

Wardley's Rise

But the 30-year-old British fighter, won the provisional belt from his opponent with a major surprise in the later stages at the capital's venue last month and was mandated to face Usyk before the September deadline

The championship body still needs to verify the British fighter's elevation but his representative believes it is a done deal

"England has a new heavyweight world champion and a new star of the sport"

"Among the most remarkable journeys throughout my decades as a sports manager and I could not be happier for the British fighter"

"Significant bouts in the future for 2026 as he protects his championship and establishes his place in the fighting community"

Wardley entered the sport at twenty years old, coming through the unlicensed white-collar scene and has had a limited professional record

Future Prospects

• The likely championship upgrade signals a major shift in heavyweight boxing
• The champion's choice to give up the championship creates fresh possibilities for additional challengers
• The fighting community now awaits official confirmation from the championship body
• The champion's path from late starter to championship status continues to capture attention