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England's Fabio Wardley is set to be promoted to heavyweight title holder after Usyk chose to vacate his championship belt

This situation arises after the champion notified the WBO he would avoid a obligatory title fight against his mandatory opponent

WBO Statement

The WBO stated that the champion decided to give up his title after thoughtful consideration"

The Ukrainian maintains the multiple world titles, having beaten his British opponent at Wembley Stadium in July to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion

He initially achieved the all-belt title holder in May 2024 by defeating the British champion, before giving up the IBF title a month afterwards and deciding not to fight the obligatory contender

"Organization head the WBO leader called Usyk "a champion of champions" in a announcement"

"The WBO extends its sincere admiration and thanks to Oleksandr Usyk, an perfect record holder across weight classes"

"His achievements mark one of the most impressive and memorable of the modern boxing era"

The organization continued that its institution will continue to support the fighter and his management"

Championship History

Usyk won the championship in 2021 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 champion's back problem to cause the delay of the contest

Wardley's Rise

But the 30-year-old British fighter, won the provisional belt from the New Zealander with a major surprise in the later stages at the famous London arena recently and was ordered to fight the champion before the September deadline

The championship body still needs to verify the title change but his manager Warren believes it is a certainty

"The UK 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 prouder of Fabio Wardley"

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

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 anticipated title change represents an important development in the division
• The champion's choice to relinquish the title paves the way for other contenders
• The sport now awaits official confirmation from the boxing organization
• Wardley's story from unconventional beginning to world champion continues to motivate others