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England's heavyweight contender is set to be promoted to world boxing champion after the Ukrainian champion chose to vacate his world title

This development comes after the champion informed the World Boxing Organisation he would avoid a required championship defense against the British challenger

Official Announcement

The WBO stated that Usyk chose to vacate his title after thoughtful consideration"

Usyk still holds the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles, having overcome Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in the summer month to become a double undisputed champion

He first became the all-belt title holder in last year by defeating the British champion, before vacating another belt a month afterwards and deciding not to fight the obligatory contender

"Organization head Gustavo Olivieri praised the Ukrainian fighter in a statement"

"The organization offers its profound respect, admiration and gratitude to Oleksandr Usyk, an perfect record holder across weight classes"

"His record represents one of the most impressive and memorable of the recent fighting history"

The WBO added that its institution will continue to support Usyk and his team"

Belt Timeline

Usyk won the championship in 2021 by overcoming Joshua and went on to successfully defend multiple times

In July, the boxing organization mandated talks for a mandatory defence against New Zealand's Parker, only for a back injury sustained by Usyk to cause the delay of the fight

New Champion's Path

But Wardley, took the interim title from Parker with a significant shock in the championship rounds at London's O2 Arena last month and was mandated to face Usyk before the month's conclusion

The championship body still needs to verify Wardley's promotion but his promoter Frank Warren believes it is a certainty

"England has a new heavyweight world champion and a new star of the sport"

"Among the most remarkable journeys during my long career as a promoter and I could not be more pleased for Wardley"

"Major contests coming up for 2026 as he defends his WBO belt and creates a true legacy in the fighting community"

The champion started fighting relatively late, emerging from the amateur circuit and has had only 21 pro bouts

Future Prospects

• The likely championship upgrade represents an important development in the weight class
• The Ukrainian's move to relinquish the title creates fresh possibilities for more fighters
• The sport now awaits official confirmation from the boxing organization
• Wardley's story from late starter to championship status continues to inspire many