Earlier this week, Fabio Wardley was upgraded to full WBO World Heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk opted to vacate the belt. Now the Ukrainian’s team has explained his decision.
Usyk has proven himself as the standout heavyweight of this generation by twice becoming the undisputed champion of the division and twice defeating each of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois.
After revealing plans to fight for a further three years, it seemed as though Fabio Wardley was next up for the 38-year-old, after the Ipswich fan-favourite knocked out Joseph Parker to claim the WBO interim title and mandatory position.
Yet, on Tuesday, it was revealed that Usyk had decided to vacate the belt, with Wardley being subsequently installed as the sanctioning body’s full champion.
Speaking with Sky Sports, Wardley admitted that he thought Usyk’s decision was a ‘strange one’.
“I don’t know what he may be planning for himself, whether that be retirement, whether it be a different fight, whether it be another alternative.
“Obviously, we’re seeing loads of variations with fighters and what they’re doing with their careers at the moment, whether they’re pivoting into different sports, or taking breaks and then coming back
“It was a bit of a strange one, because initially he took a bit of a break. He was allowed an absence, an extension on the belt, and then to give it up just seems a bit of a strange move.
“I’m not too sure what he was thinking.”
In an interview with Pro Boxing Fans, Team Usyk manager, Sergey Lapin, declared that his fighter dropped the belt to allow his younger rivals to box for it, rather than to avoid facing Wardley.
“Oleksandr [Usyk] vacated the belt to give younger fighters the opportunity to box for it … We’ll see how things develop next.”
Wardley is expected to make a first defence of the WBO crown in the first half of 2026, with names such as Dubois, Filip Hrgovic and Derek Chisora being touted for the opposing corner. Usyk still remains the WBC, WBA and IBF champion. He may look to face Wardley or the winner of his first defence to become three-time undisputed.
