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England's Fabio Wardley is expected to be elevated to WBO heavyweight champion after the Ukrainian champion opted to give up his world title

This development comes after Ukrainian fighter told boxing authorities he would not engage in a required championship defense against Wardley

Official Announcement

The championship body announced that Usyk had "elected to relinquish his title after thoughtful consideration"

Usyk still holds the three major championship belts, having beaten his British opponent at Wembley Stadium in July to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion

He originally secured the complete unified champion in May 2024 by overcoming Tyson Fury, before vacating another belt a month afterwards and choosing to avoid the obligatory contender

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

"The organization offers its sincere admiration and thanks to Usyk, an perfect record holder across weight classes"

"His career stands as one of the most extraordinary and historic of the recent fighting history"

The WBO added that its institution will continue to support the fighter and his management"

Championship History

Usyk secured the world title in two years ago by beating the British star and went on to successfully defend multiple times

In summer, the WBO had ordered negotiations for a obligatory championship fight against interim champion Joseph Parker, only for a Usyk's physical issue to cause the delay of the bout

British Fighter's Journey

But the 30-year-old British fighter, took the interim title from Parker with a major surprise in the 11th round at the famous London arena in the previous month and was ordered to fight the champion before the end of September

The WBO is yet to officially confirm the title change but his manager Warren believes it is a certainty

"England has a recent title holder and a rising boxing talent"

"Among the most remarkable journeys throughout my decades as a boxing representative and I could not be happier for the British fighter"

"Some huge fights ahead for 2026 as he protects his championship and creates a true legacy in the fighting community"

Wardley entered the sport relatively late, emerging from the amateur circuit and has had a limited professional record

What's Next

• The anticipated title change represents an important development in heavyweight boxing
• The champion's choice to vacate the belt paves the way for additional challengers
• The fighting community now awaits official confirmation from the championship body
• The champion's path from alternative background to title holder continues to capture attention