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The UK's heavyweight contender will be upgraded to world boxing champion after Oleksandr Usyk decided to relinquish his title

This follows after Usyk told boxing authorities he would avoid a obligatory title fight against the British challenger

WBO Statement

The championship body announced 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 national stadium in July to become a repeat unified title holder

He originally secured the complete unified champion in spring 2024 by defeating the British champion, before giving up the IBF title five weeks later and opting out of facing the mandatory challenger

"Organization head Gustavo Olivieri praised the Ukrainian fighter in a statement"

"The WBO extends its sincere admiration and thanks to Oleksandr Usyk, an perfect record holder across weight classes"

"His career stands as one of the most extraordinary and historic of the contemporary boxing period"

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

Belt Timeline

Usyk secured the championship in 2021 by beating the British star and went on to defend it four times

In July, the WBO had ordered negotiations for a required title defense against temporary title holder Parker, only for a champion's back problem to cause the delay of the bout

New Champion's Path

But the 30-year-old British fighter, won the provisional belt from the New Zealander with a significant shock in the later stages at the capital's venue last month and was ordered to fight the champion before the month's conclusion

The championship body still needs to verify the title change but his promoter Frank Warren believes it is a done deal

"England has a fresh boxing champion and a new star of the sport"

"Among the most remarkable journeys I've seen in my 45 years as a sports manager and I could not be more pleased for Wardley"

"Significant bouts in the future for the coming period as he protects his championship and builds his reputation in the fighting community"

Wardley entered the sport aged 20, coming through the unlicensed white-collar scene and has had only 21 pro bouts

Future Prospects

• Wardley's expected promotion signals a major shift in the division
• The Ukrainian's move to vacate the belt opens new opportunities for more fighters
• The fighting community now expects formal announcement from the boxing organization
• The champion's path from unconventional beginning to title holder continues to capture attention