Usyk Gives Up Heavyweight Title Belts But Will Not Retire

Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk announced on Friday that he is giving up his three boxing world title belts, but he is not retiring.

The 39-year-old Ukrainian, who has never lost a fight, said he wants to "make them free so that the guys who are in line for them can box."

Usyk's announcement comes just a month after he narrowly avoided a surprising defeat to kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.

Usyk needed a controversial 11th-round stoppage to win against Verhoeven, who had been ahead on the scorecards until then, despite only being in his second boxing match.

"Good day to everyone. Today is Friday, the weather is good, and it’s a good day to say that I want to vacate all the belts that I currently hold, to make them free so that the guys who are in line for them can box," Usyk said in a social media post.

"My friends, I’m giving up the belts, but I’m not leaving the sport, because I still have my last dance. I want to thank everyone; I respect all organisations. I want to thank everyone and say there is more to come."

Usyk has been an undisputed world champion in both cruiserweight and heavyweight classes. His record stands at 25 wins, with 16 of those by knockout, and no losses in his professional career.

In his amateur days, he won gold medals at the Olympics, World Championships, and European Championships.

His most famous wins have been against British heavyweights Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Daniel Dubois, whom he defeated twice each.

He beat Joshua in September 2021 to claim the WBA, WBO, and IBF belts. He later won the WBC belt from Fury in May 2024.

He had to give up the IBF belt for his rematch with Fury but regained it from Dubois in July 2025, only to give up the WBO belt a few months later.

Dubois then defeated fellow Briton Fabio Wardley in May to win that WBO belt.