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Britain's Fabio Wardley is expected to be elevated to world boxing champion after the Ukrainian champion opted to give up his title

This development comes after the champion informed the World Boxing Organisation he would not engage in a obligatory title fight against Wardley

Official Announcement

The championship body announced that Usyk chose to vacate his title after thoughtful consideration"

The Ukrainian maintains the three major championship belts, having overcome Daniel Dubois at the famous London venue in mid-year to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion

He originally secured the four-belt undisputed champion in spring 2024 by beating Tyson Fury, before vacating another belt a month afterwards and opting out of facing the mandatory challenger

"WBO president Gustavo Olivieri praised the Ukrainian fighter in a announcement"

"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 impressive and memorable of the contemporary boxing period"

The WBO added that its institution will continue to support Usyk and his team"

Championship History

Usyk secured the WBO belt in recently by beating the British star and went on to successfully defend multiple times

In July, the boxing organization mandated talks for a mandatory defence against New Zealand's Parker, only for a champion's back problem to require rescheduling of the fight

British Fighter's Journey

But the 30-year-old British fighter, took the interim title from Parker with a significant shock in the championship rounds at London's O2 Arena in the previous month and was mandated to face Usyk 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 recent title holder and a new star of the sport"

"A truly extraordinary path throughout my decades as a sports manager and I could not be more pleased for Wardley"

"Major contests coming up for 2026 as he defends his WBO belt and creates a true legacy in the boxing world"

The champion started fighting at twenty years old, emerging from the amateur circuit and has had only 21 pro bouts

Future Prospects

• Wardley's expected promotion represents an important development in the weight class
• The champion's choice to give up the championship opens new opportunities for more fighters
• The boxing world now awaits official confirmation from the WBO
• The British fighter's journey from alternative background to championship status continues to motivate others