Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk will relinquish his WBO belt. The 38-year-old Ukrainian fighter decided not to proceed with a mandatory title defence against British boxer Fabio Wardley after "thoughtful consideration", and Wardley will be automatically crowned heavyweight champion by the World Boxing Association.
"The WBO extends its profound respect, admiration and gratitude to Oleksandr Usyk, an undefeated, two-division WBO undisputed world champion," WBO president Gustavo Olivieri said, calling Usyk "champion of champions" and describing his career as "one of the most extraordinary and historic of the modern boxing era".
Usyk first won the WBO belt in 2021, when he defeated Anthony Joshua (the boxer that will face Jake Paul next month). The Ukrainian won the other three belts in May 2024 when he beat Tyson Fury, and last July he became undisputed heavyweight champion for the second time after beating Daniel Dubois. Usyk will retain the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight title and the WBO doors will "always remain open" for him.
30-year-old British boxer Fabio Wardley will then become WBO heavyweight champion for the first time, inheriting Usyk's title. Wardley became "interim" WBO heavyweight champion when he defeated Joseph Parker by KO last October.