Alexander Usyk has vacated his WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight championship belts and will compete in a farewell bout to close out his career. Usyk described the decision as carefully considered and one he believes will open new opportunities for him.
Oleksandr Usyk has relinquished his WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight championship belts and announced he will compete in one final farewell bout before bringing his professional career to a close.
Usyk, known as "The Cat," departs as an undisputed heavyweight champion with a flawless professional record of 24 wins and zero losses. The Ukrainian southpaw stands six-foot-three with a 78-inch reach and is 39 years old. Trained out of the Ready To Fight camp, Usyk described the decision to vacate the titles as a carefully considered one, and he indicated he believes the move will open new opportunities for him beyond his boxing career.
Why it matters
- All three major heavyweight titles — WBA, WBC, and IBF — are now vacant simultaneously, reshaping the division's landscape overnight.
- A farewell fight for an undefeated, undisputed champion carries enormous attention and creates an immediate marquee event.
- Usyk's exit leaves a wide-open path for the division's top contenders to pursue undisputed status, triggering a significant reshuffling of the heavyweight rankings.
The simultaneous vacancy of three major heavyweight belts at once is an exceedingly rare occurrence, and the division will now move quickly to organize bouts to crown new champions. Usyk's retirement, when it comes, will mark the end of a reign in which he never suffered a professional defeat across 24 contests.
