Heavyweight champion Usyk says vacating heavyweight world title belts

play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificWorld CupMiddle EastExplainedOpinionVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomySportHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelSponsored Contentplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftTrendingVenezuela earthquakesUS-Israel war on IranClimate CrisisWorld Cup 2026Tracking Israel's ceasefire violationsDonald Trumpcaret-rightSport|BoxingHeavyweight champion Usyk says vacating heavyweight world title beltsUsyk, who had held the WBA, WBC and IBF belts, has been the world undisputed cruiserweight and heavyweight champion. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoUsyk's announcement came just a month after he came close to a shock upset defeat to Kick-boxer Rico Verhoeven. [Frank Augstein/ File/AP]By AFPPublished On 26 Jun 202626 Jun 2026Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk says he was vacating his three boxing world title belts but is not retiring. The 39-year-old Ukrainian, who is unbeaten in his professional career, said on Friday that he wanted “to make them free so that the guys who are in line for them can box”. Usyk’s announcement came just a month after he came close to a shock upset defeat to kickboxer Rico Verhoeven. Usyk needed a highly-controversial 11th-round stoppage to turn the tables on the Dutchman, who had been leading on the scorecards up to that point despite taking part in only his second boxing bout. “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,” said Usyk 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, who had held the WBA, WBC and IBF belts, has been undisputed world champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight and boasts an unblemished record of 25 victories, including 16 knockouts, in as many fights. He is known for his excellent footwork and ring craft, as well as his ability to punch from unorthodox angles. But he looked a shadow of his former self in a laboured and uninspired performance against Verhoeven, whose jerky style and bulldozing aggression had unsettled the Ukrainian. Verhoeven had rocked Usyk several times in the shadow of the Great Pyramid of Giza before being floored late in the 11th round. After rising to his feat, Usyk swarmed him with a barrage of blows but Verhoeven seemed to be riding out the storm before the referee jumped in to end the fight. Usyk’s most iconic victories have been against British heavyweights Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois — whom he beat twice each. He beat Joshua in September 2021 to win the WBA, WBO and IBF belts and then took the WBC belt off Fury in May 2024. He had to vacate the IBF belt for his rematch with Fury but then won it back off Dubois in July 2025, only to vacate the WBO belt a few months later. Dubois then beat fellow Briton Fabio Wardley in May to win that belt. Usyk became WBO cruiserweight champion in 2016 when he defeated Pole Krzysztof Glowacki, beating Latvia’s Mairis Briedis in 2018 to add the WBC strap and then months later claiming the WBA and IBF belts off Russian Murat Gassiev. The Russian, who has since also moved up to heavyweight, was Usyk’s WBA mandatory challenger and has now been upgraded to champion. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: