Oleksandr Usyk vacates three world titles. The boxing world woke up to one of the biggest surprises of the year after Oleksandr Usyk announced that he is voluntarily vacating his WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight world titles
The now former unified champion announced on social media on Friday, 26 June that he has made the decision to vacate all three of his world titles which are WBA, IBF and WBC heavyweight belts. The announcement immediately sent shockwaves through the heavyweight division, ending Usyk’s reign as unified champion and opening the door for a new generation of contenders to fight for boxing’s biggest prizes.
But despite stepping away from the belts, the undefeated Ukrainian made it clear that he is not retiring. Instead, Usyk revealed that he is preparing for what he described as his “last dance” in professional boxing. “It’s a good time to say that I want to vacate all the belts I currently hold,” Usyk said. “I want to make them available so the guys who are next in line can fight for them.”
“Friends, I’m leaving the belts, but I’m not leaving the sport because I still have my last dance,” Usyk explained. “I want to thank everyone. I have great respect for all organizations. I want to thank everyone and say there’s more to come. Glory to God for everything. Glory to Ukraine.” At 39 years old, Usyk walks away from championship gold with a flawless 25-0 professional record, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest fighters of his generation.
His résumé speaks for itself. He became the first man to achieve undisputed championship status in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions during the four-belt era. Along the way, he defeated some of the sport’s biggest names, including Tyson Fury (twice), Anthony Joshua (twice), and Daniel Dubois, establishing himself as the dominant force in heavyweight boxing.
By relinquishing the belts, Usyk removes the burden of mandatory title defenses and gives rising contenders the opportunity to compete for the vacant championships. The move also allows him to focus entirely on the farewell fight he has promised fans.
