Usyk vacates championship belts but vows to continue boxing

Oleksandr Usyk, who has 25 professional fights and an undefeated record, has announced that he is relinquishing his WBA, WBC, and IBF championship belts. The Ukrainian boxer stated that this decision was carefully considered and will open up opportunities for other fighters to compete for the titles.

“This is a well-considered decision, and I am sure it will open new opportunities. This is not the end of the story. There is a continuation ahead,” Usyk said. “Friends, I am leaving the belts, but I am not leaving the sport, because I have a last dance ahead of me.”

Before his May fight against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven, Usyk had expressed his desire to have two more fights before considering retirement. He won that fight by knockout in the 11th round.

Usyk previously dominated the cruiserweight division before moving up to heavyweight, where he defeated both Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury twice each, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest boxers of his era.