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Britain's heavyweight contender is expected to be elevated to heavyweight title holder after the Ukrainian champion opted to give up his title

This development comes after Usyk told boxing authorities he would not proceed with a mandatory title defence against the British challenger

Official Announcement

The boxing organization confirmed that Usyk had "elected to relinquish his championship following careful thought"

The Ukrainian maintains the three major championship belts, having defeated Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in mid-year to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion

He initially achieved the all-belt title holder in spring 2024 by beating Tyson Fury, before vacating another belt five weeks later and choosing to avoid the mandatory challenger

"WBO president the WBO leader called Usyk "a champion of champions" in a announcement"

"The WBO extends its deep appreciation and respect to the Ukrainian champion, an unbeaten multi-division champion"

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

The boxing body stated that its doors "will always remain open Usyk and his team"

Title Reign

Usyk won the championship in 2021 by overcoming Joshua and went on to defend it four times

In summer, the boxing organization mandated talks for a required title defense against temporary title holder Parker, only for a champion's back problem to cause the delay of the fight

New Champion's Path

But Wardley, captured the temporary championship from his opponent with a major surprise in the later stages at the capital's venue last month and was ordered to fight the champion before the end of September

The boxing organization hasn't formally announced Wardley's promotion but his representative believes it is a certainty

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

"A truly extraordinary path I've seen in my 45 years as a boxing representative and I could not be more pleased for Wardley"

"Major contests coming up for 2026 as he protects his championship and creates a true legacy in the sport"

Wardley only began boxing relatively late, coming through the unlicensed white-collar scene and has had only 21 pro bouts

Future Prospects

• The likely championship upgrade marks a significant moment in the division
• The champion's choice to relinquish the title opens new opportunities for other contenders
• The fighting community now anticipates verification from the championship body
• Wardley's story from late starter to title holder continues to capture attention