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England's Fabio Wardley is expected to be elevated to WBO heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk chose to vacate his title

This situation arises after the champion told boxing authorities he would not engage in a obligatory title fight against his mandatory opponent

Official Announcement

The championship body announced that Usyk had "elected to relinquish his championship following careful thought"

Usyk continues to possess the multiple world titles, having beaten his British opponent at Wembley Stadium in July to become a repeat unified title holder

He originally secured the all-belt title holder in spring 2024 by defeating the British champion, before relinquishing one championship five weeks later and opting out of facing the required opponent

"Boxing official Gustavo Olivieri called Usyk "a champion of champions" in a statement"

"The WBO extends its profound respect, admiration and gratitude to Usyk, an undefeated, two-division WBO undisputed world champion"

"His record represents one of the most remarkable and significant of the recent fighting history"

The boxing body stated that its organization will always welcome Usyk and his team"

Title Reign

Usyk secured the championship in 2021 by defeating Anthony Joshua and went on to successfully defend multiple times

In July, the WBO had ordered negotiations for a obligatory championship fight against temporary title holder Parker, only for a back injury sustained by Usyk to force the postponement of the bout

New Champion's Path

But the 30-year-old British fighter, took the interim title from his opponent with a significant shock in the 11th round at London's O2 Arena recently and was ordered to fight the champion before the end of September

The championship body still needs to verify the British fighter's elevation but his manager Warren believes it is a formality

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

"A truly extraordinary path I've seen in my 45 years as a sports manager and I could not be prouder of Fabio Wardley"

"Major contests coming up for next year as he defends his WBO belt and creates a true legacy in the boxing world"

The champion started fighting at twenty years old, coming through the unlicensed white-collar scene and has had only 21 pro bouts

What's Next

• Wardley's expected promotion signals a major shift in the weight class
• The champion's choice to vacate the belt creates fresh possibilities for other contenders
• The sport now awaits official confirmation from the championship body
• The champion's path from alternative background to world champion continues to capture attention