Ukrainian Usyk vacates heavyweight belts for final chapter

Undefeated heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk vacated his WBA, WBC and IBF world title belts on Friday, clearing the way for a final chapter in a career that has spanned cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. The Ukrainian southpaw, unbeaten in 25 professional bouts with 16 knockouts, announced the move a day before his 40th birthday, positioning himself for what promoters describe as his “last dance.”

Usyk’s decision was confirmed in multiple outlets on 26 June 2026 and reiterated on 27 June 2026, ending weeks of speculation about his future after his wide-catching victory over Rico Verhoeven in a cruiserweight unification bout on 21 June 2026. That fight, staged in Berlin, drew global attention as a potential unification clash in the lighter division and extended Usyk’s unbeaten run in the cruiserweights to 19-0. The Ukrainian’s heavyweight credentials were already unassailable: he unified the WBA, WBC and IBF straps in 2024 and defended them twice, most recently against Anthony Joshua in Riyadh in March 2026.

Promoters and analysts immediately framed the belt vacatur as a calculated step toward a final heavyweight showdown. “Usyk is clearing the deck for one last payday,” said one European promoter quoted by Reuters . The move also frees the sanctioning bodies to organise a fresh elimination tournament or a direct final eliminator, with heavyweight contenders Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Pyshchenko widely tipped to feature. Fury, who has not fought since outpointing Dillian Whyte in April 2025, remains the sport’s most marketable heavyweight and is expected to be the bookmakers’ favourite should he agree terms.

Reaction from the sanctioning bodies was swift. The WBC confirmed it would open a purse bid for the vacant title within 30 days, while the IBF set a 21-day deadline for mandatory challenger nominations. Neither body has yet named a mandatory, but both indicated they would prioritise a bout involving Fury or Pyshchenko to avoid a repeat of the fragmented title picture that followed Tyson Fury’s retirement announcement in late 2025.

For Usyk, the belt vacatur marks the end of an era that began in 2013 when he claimed the WBO cruiserweight title in his 10th professional fight. His decision to step away from the heavyweight belts—while remaining eligible for a cruiserweight return—reflects both the physical toll of the division and the commercial allure of a final pay-per-view super-fight. Promoters are already touting a potential trilogy with Joshua or a cross-code crossover with a UFC heavyweight, though no dates or opponents have been confirmed.

With Usyk’s 40th birthday on 17 June 2026, the boxing world now waits to see whether the Ukrainian legend will call time on his career or stage one last headline act in the heavyweight division.