Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk announced on Friday he will give up his three world titles but made clear he is not retiring. The 39-year-old Ukrainian, who remains unbeaten in his professional career, wrote on social media: 'Today is a good day to say I want to vacate all existing belts, so the boys who are waiting can compete.'
Usyk's decision comes just one month after a close-call fight against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven. In that bout, Usyk needed a controversial knockdown in the 11th round to turn the tables on the Dutch fighter, who was ahead on the scorecards despite competing in only his second boxing match.
Fighting at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Giza, Verhoeven repeatedly shook Usyk with aggressive, awkward boxing before being floored late in the 11th. After rising, Usyk pressed forward, but Verhoeven appeared to be weathering the storm until the referee jumped in to stop the contest.
Usyk previously held the WBA, WBC, and IBF belts, making him the undisputed world champion in both cruiserweight and heavyweight. He boasts an unbeaten record of 25 wins, 16 by knockout, in 25 bouts. Usyk is renowned for his exceptional footwork, tactical boxing, and ability to land punches from multiple angles.
Iconic victories
Usyk's most notable wins came against British heavyweights Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Daniel Dubois – each of whom he defeated twice. He beat Joshua in September 2021 to claim the WBA, WBO, and IBF belts, then took the WBC title from Fury in May 2024.
Usyk previously vacated the IBF belt to set up a rematch with Fury, but regained it from Dubois in July 2025, only to leave the WBO belt vacant a few months later. Dubois subsequently defeated fellow Briton Fabio Wardley in May to claim that belt.
Usyk became the WBO cruiserweight champion in 2016 by defeating Poland's Krzysztof Glowacki. He beat Latvia's Mairis Briedis in 2018 to add the WBC title, and a few months later captured the WBA and IBF belts from Russia's Murat Gassiev. Gassiev, who later also moved up to heavyweight, had been Usyk's mandatory challenger under the WBA and has now been elevated to champion.
