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

This follows after the champion informed the World Boxing Organisation he would not proceed with a obligatory title fight against Wardley

Official Announcement

The WBO stated that the champion decided to give up his belt after deep reflection"

Usyk continues to possess the three major championship belts, having defeated Daniel Dubois at the famous London venue in July to become a repeat unified title holder

He originally secured the complete unified champion in May 2024 by defeating the British champion, before relinquishing one championship shortly after and deciding not to fight the obligatory contender

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

"Officials expressed its profound respect, admiration and gratitude to Oleksandr Usyk, an unbeaten multi-division champion"

"His achievements mark one of the most impressive and memorable of the contemporary boxing period"

The boxing body stated that its doors "will always remain open Usyk and his team"

Belt Timeline

Usyk secured the championship in 2021 by defeating Anthony Joshua and went on to protect his title repeatedly

In July, the championship body required discussions for a mandatory defence against interim champion Joseph Parker, only for a Usyk's physical issue to require rescheduling of the bout

New Champion's Path

But the 30-year-old British fighter, captured the temporary championship from his opponent with a huge upset in the championship rounds at London's O2 Arena in the previous month and was required to challenge Usyk before the September deadline

The WBO is yet to officially confirm the British fighter's elevation but his representative believes it is a formality

"England has a new heavyweight world champion and a new star of the sport"

"Among the most remarkable journeys throughout my decades as a boxing representative and I could not be prouder of Fabio Wardley"

"Major contests coming up for 2026 as he maintains his title and builds his reputation in the fighting community"

The champion started fighting aged 20, coming through the unlicensed white-collar scene and has had just 21 professional fights

What's Next

• The likely championship upgrade represents an important development in the weight class
• The Ukrainian's move to give up the championship paves the way for other contenders
• The fighting community now expects formal announcement from the boxing organization
• Wardley's story from late starter to championship status continues to inspire many