Heavyweight King Oleksandr Usyk Abandons Titles for Epic 'Last Dance' Farewell!

Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has announced his decision to vacate his WBA, IBF, and WBC heavyweight titles. The 39-year-old boxer, however, clarified that he is not retiring, but instead planning a "last dance" before concluding his illustrious career. Usyk shared his intentions via an Instagram post on a Friday, stating, "Today is Friday, the weather is beautiful, and it is a good day to say that I want to vacate all the belts I currently hold. I want to make them available so the guys who want them and are next in line can fight for them."

This announcement comes on the heels of a surprisingly difficult fight for Usyk against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven last month. Despite being ESPN's No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter, Usyk struggled to track down Verhoeven, who had only one previous professional boxing match, ultimately securing a controversial stoppage at the end of the 11th round. Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) made it clear that while he will no longer fight as a world champion for these specific belts, his career is not over yet, reiterating, "Friends, I'm leaving the belts but not leaving the sport because I still have my last dance."

The decision to vacate the titles could alter previous plans for a title defense against top contender Agit Kabayel. Sergey Lapin, Usyk's sporting director, informed ESPN that this move was strategically made with the future of the heavyweight division in mind. Lapin stated, "Oleksandr vacated the sanctioning body titles to give Anthony Joshua the opportunity to compete for and reunify them." Furthermore, Lapin revealed Usyk's ultimate career goal: "As for Oleksandr, his goal has always been to finish his legendary career with his final fights in the United States, where he wants to leave the last chapter of his boxing legacy." Usyk will, however, retain his Ring Magazine title, which is widely regarded in boxing as the lineal championship for proven unified champions within a division.

Oleksandr Usyk holds a significant place in boxing history, being the first male boxer to achieve the status of a three-time undisputed champion in the "four-belt era." He first accomplished this feat at cruiserweight in 2018, and then twice more as a heavyweight in 2024 and 2025, solidifying his legacy as one of the sport's all-time greats.