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England's Fabio Wardley is expected to be elevated to WBO heavyweight champion after Usyk decided to relinquish his championship belt

This follows after Ukrainian fighter notified the WBO he would avoid a required championship defense against Wardley

Boxing Organization's Position

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

Usyk continues to possess the three major championship belts, having beaten his British opponent at the national stadium in the summer month to become a double undisputed champion

He initially achieved the complete unified champion in last year by defeating the British champion, before relinquishing one championship shortly after and choosing to avoid the mandatory challenger

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

"The organization offers its deep appreciation and respect to Oleksandr Usyk, an perfect record holder across weight classes"

"His record represents one of the most extraordinary and historic of the recent fighting history"

The boxing body stated that its institution will continue to support the fighter and his management"

Championship History

Usyk secured the world title in recently by defeating Anthony Joshua and went on to protect his title repeatedly

In July, the boxing organization mandated talks for a required title defense against interim champion Joseph Parker, only for a champion's back problem to require rescheduling of the contest

New Champion's Path

But Wardley, 30, captured the temporary championship from his opponent with a huge upset in the championship rounds at the famous London arena in the previous month and was required to challenge Usyk before the end of September

The boxing organization hasn't formally announced Wardley's promotion but his representative believes it is a certainty

"England has a fresh boxing champion and a rising boxing talent"

"One of the most incredible stories during my long career as a promoter and I could not be more pleased for Wardley"

"Some huge fights ahead for 2026 as he protects his championship and builds his reputation in the boxing world"

Wardley only began boxing at twenty years old, emerging from the amateur circuit and has had just 21 professional fights

Coming Challenges

• The likely championship upgrade marks a significant moment in the division
• Usyk's decision to relinquish the title paves the way for other contenders
• The fighting community now awaits official confirmation from the championship body
• Wardley's story from alternative background to world champion continues to motivate others