Kyiv. Ukrainian boxing star Oleksandr Usyk has announced that he will vacate his remaining heavyweight world titles, opening up the division for a new generation of contenders while insisting that he is not yet ready to retire from the sport.
The 39-year-old, widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of his era, said he had decided to relinquish the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight titles to allow other fighters the opportunity to compete for the belts.
Usyk had already vacated the World Boxing Organization (WBO) title in late 2025 after being ordered to make a mandatory defence.
"It is a good day to say I want to vacate all the belts I currently hold," Usyk said in a statement.
"I want to make them available so the guys who are next in line can fight for them.
"Friends, I'm leaving the belts, but I'm not leaving the sport, because I still have my last dance. I want to thank everyone. I have great respect for all organisations. There's more to come."
Usyk's decision brings an end to one of the most successful heavyweight title reigns in recent boxing history.
The undefeated Ukrainian became the undisputed heavyweight champion in 2024 after defeating Britain's Tyson Fury, adding the WBC title to the WBA, IBF and WBO belts he had previously won.
He later vacated the WBO title and retained the WBA, WBC and IBF championships, defending them successfully while continuing to build a legacy that also includes an undisputed reign at cruiserweight.
The announcement follows growing pressure from boxing's governing bodies for Usyk to defend his titles against mandatory challengers.
The WBC had recently ordered him to face interim champion Agit Kabayel or risk losing the title, while the IBF had also been preparing to enforce mandatory title obligations.
Usyk remains unbeaten as a professional and has recorded notable victories over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois during his heavyweight career.
His recent victory over former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven further strengthened his status as one of boxing's elite competitors.
The decision to vacate the titles is expected to trigger a scramble among leading heavyweight contenders, with several championship bouts likely to be organised in the coming months to determine the division's new titleholders.
Despite relinquishing his belts, Usyk made it clear that his boxing career is not over yet, hinting that he intends to return to the ring for what he described as his "last dance".
