World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has announced he will vacate his heavyweight title belts, relinquishing the WBC, WBA and IBF crowns he currently holds.
The unbeaten 39-year-old Ukrainian, however, stressed that the move does not signal the end of his career, describing the decision as a strategic step that would create opportunities for others while allowing him to focus on his final chapter in boxing.
Usyk said in a video posted on X: “It’s a good day to say that I want to vacate all the belts I currently hold. I want to make them available so the guys who are next in line can fight for them. Friends, I am leaving the belts but I’m not leaving the sport because I still have my last dance.”
He captioned the video with the message, “This is a well-considered decision that I am confident will open new opportunities for me. This is not the end of the story. The continuation lies ahead.”
Usyk last fought in May when he stopped Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in the 11th round, although not all of his heavyweight titles were on the line.
His sporting director, Sergey Lapin, told ESPN that the Ukrainian had decided to vacate the belts partly to allow former world champion Anthony Joshua, whom Usyk defeated twice, an opportunity to reunify them.
“As for Oleksandr, his goal has always been to finish his legendary career with his final fights in the United States, where he wants to leave the last chapter of his boxing legacy,” Lapin said.
Usyk first became WBO cruiserweight champion in 2016 after defeating Poland’s Krzysztof Glowacki. He added the WBC title in 2018 by beating Latvia’s Mairis Briedis before later claiming the WBA and IBF belts from Murat Gassiev.
Gassiev, who has since moved up to heavyweight and was Usyk’s WBA mandatory challenger, has now been elevated to champion following the Ukrainian’s decision to relinquish his titles.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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