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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 follows after the champion told boxing authorities he would not proceed with a required championship defense against his mandatory opponent

Official Announcement

The WBO stated that Usyk chose to vacate his championship following careful thought"

Usyk continues to possess the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles, having overcome Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in July to become a repeat unified title holder

He originally secured the four-belt undisputed champion in May 2024 by defeating the British champion, before relinquishing one championship a month afterwards and deciding not to fight the required opponent

"Organization head Olivieri called Usyk "a champion of champions" in a official release"

"The organization offers its profound respect, admiration and gratitude to Oleksandr Usyk, an perfect record holder across weight classes"

"His career stands as one of the most impressive and memorable of the contemporary boxing period"

The WBO added that its organization will always welcome the champion and his camp"

Title Reign

The champion captured the WBO belt in recently by defeating Anthony Joshua and went on to defend it four times

In mid-year, the championship body required discussions for a obligatory championship fight against New Zealand's Parker, only for a Usyk's physical issue to cause the delay of the fight

Wardley's Rise

But the 30-year-old British fighter, took the interim title from the New Zealander with a huge upset in the championship rounds at the famous London arena recently and was ordered to fight the champion before the month's conclusion

The WBO is yet to officially confirm the British fighter's elevation but his manager Warren believes it is a certainty

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

"A truly extraordinary path throughout my decades as a boxing representative and I could not be prouder of Fabio Wardley"

"Significant bouts in the future for 2026 as he protects his championship and creates a true legacy in the fighting community"

Wardley only began boxing aged 20, 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 the weight class
• Usyk's decision to give up the championship creates fresh possibilities for more fighters
• The boxing world now anticipates verification from the WBO
• The British fighter's journey from alternative background to world champion continues to inspire many