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England's Fabio Wardley will be upgraded to heavyweight title holder after the Ukrainian champion decided to relinquish his world title

This follows after Ukrainian fighter notified the WBO he would not proceed with a mandatory title defence against his mandatory opponent

WBO Statement

The WBO stated that the champion decided to give up his championship following careful thought"

Usyk still holds the three major championship belts, having defeated Daniel Dubois at the famous London venue in mid-year to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion

He initially achieved the complete unified champion in last year by defeating the British champion, before relinquishing one championship five weeks later and opting out of facing the required opponent

"Organization head the WBO leader praised the Ukrainian fighter in a official release"

"The organization offers its deep appreciation and respect to Oleksandr Usyk, an perfect record holder across weight classes"

"His career stands as one of the most impressive and memorable of the recent fighting history"

The organization continued that its institution will continue to support the champion and his camp"

Belt Timeline

The champion captured the WBO belt in 2021 by overcoming Joshua and went on to defend it four times

In summer, the boxing organization mandated talks for a mandatory defence against interim champion Joseph Parker, only for a back injury sustained by Usyk to force the postponement of the fight

New Champion's Path

But Wardley, captured the temporary championship from his opponent with a major surprise in the later stages at London's O2 Arena in the previous month and was ordered to fight the champion before the September deadline

The boxing organization hasn't formally announced the title change but his promoter Frank Warren believes it is a certainty

"England has a new heavyweight world champion and a rising boxing talent"

"One of the most incredible stories I've seen in my 45 years as a sports manager and I could not be more pleased for Wardley"

"Some huge fights ahead for 2026 as he maintains his title and creates a true legacy in the fighting community"

The champion started fighting relatively late, coming through the unlicensed white-collar scene and has had just 21 professional fights

Future Prospects

• The likely championship upgrade marks a significant moment in the division
• The champion's choice to give up the championship creates fresh possibilities for additional challengers
• The sport now expects formal announcement from the WBO
• Wardley's story from late starter to world champion continues to capture attention