Oleksandr Usyk stripped of WBO title

Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk has officially relinquished his WBO world championship belt. This was announced on the organization’s official page on X. The reasons for this decision have not been disclosed.

The WBO noted that they had a personal conversation with Usyk, after which the parties jointly decided to relinquish the title.

“The WBO honors his historic career and calls this a respectful pause, not a farewell,” the organization said in a statement.

Who was to be Usyk’s next opponent

After winning the interim WBO title, New Zealander Joseph Parker was supposed to face the Ukrainian. However, after the fight was postponed, Parker fought British boxer Fabio Wardley and lost. Wardley became the new interim champion and was supposed to box Usyk — negotiations were already underway, and the fight was tentatively scheduled for March 2026.

In October, Usyk’s coach Serhiy Lapin said that the boxer plans to enter the ring in the first half of 2026.

What Usyk’s decision means

Fabio Wardley, who held the WBO interim title, must now receive full championship status. A new opponent will be chosen for his next fight.

Usyk became the WBO world champion in September 2021 after defeating Anthony Joshua. Since then, he has defended his title five times and won all his fights — one against Joshua, two against Daniel Dubois, and two against Tyson Fury.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)