Britain's Fabio Wardley Expected to Become World Boxing Champion as Usyk Vacates Belt

Boxing Action
British boxer Fabio Wardley only began boxing at the age of 20

The UK's boxing star will be upgraded to heavyweight title holder after Oleksandr Usyk decided to relinquish his title

This follows after Ukrainian fighter told boxing authorities he would not proceed with a mandatory title defence against Wardley

Official Announcement

The boxing organization confirmed 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 famous London venue in mid-year to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion

He first became the four-belt undisputed champion in last year by defeating the British champion, before relinquishing one championship a month afterwards and opting out of facing the mandatory challenger

"Organization head the WBO leader described Usyk as exceptional in a official release"

"The WBO extends its sincere admiration and thanks to Usyk, an unbeaten multi-division champion"

"His career stands as one of the most impressive and memorable of the modern boxing era"

The boxing body stated that its institution will continue to support Usyk and his team"

Title Holder
The Ukrainian boxer is an Olympic champion and undefeated through 24 bouts

Championship History

The champion captured the WBO belt in two years ago by defeating Anthony Joshua and went on to defend it four times

In mid-year, the championship body required discussions for a required title defense against interim champion Joseph Parker, only for a Usyk's physical issue to require rescheduling of the contest

New Champion's Path

But Wardley, won the provisional belt from the New Zealander with a huge upset in the championship rounds at the famous London arena recently and was ordered to fight the champion before the September deadline

The championship body still needs to verify the British fighter's elevation but his representative believes it is a done deal

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

"Among the most remarkable journeys during my long career as a promoter and I could not be happier for the British fighter"

"Major contests coming up for the coming period as he protects his championship and establishes his place in the fighting community"

Wardley only began boxing at twenty years old, coming through the unlicensed white-collar scene and has had a limited professional record

What's Next

  • Wardley's expected promotion represents an important development in the division
  • The champion's choice to relinquish the title opens new opportunities for other contenders
  • The fighting community now expects formal announcement from the boxing organization
  • The British fighter's journey from late starter to world champion continues to capture attention
Richard Riley
Richard Riley

A tech strategist with over a decade of experience in digital innovation and AI implementation across global enterprises.