Usyk announces he is vacating heavyweight world title belts but not retiring

[p]The 39-year-old Ukrainian, who is unbeaten in his professional career, said that he wanted "to make them free so that the guys who are in line for them can box."[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/usyk-olexandr/nqbF7L5K/"]Usyk[/a]'s announcement came just a month after he came close to a shock upset defeat to kickboxer [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verhoeven-rico/OdPJz24m/"]Rico Verhoeven[/a].[/p][p]Usyk needed a highly controversial 11th-round stoppage to turn the tables on the Dutchman, who had been leading on the scorecards up to that point despite taking part in only his second boxing bout.[/p][p][b]"Good day to everyone. Today is Friday, the weather is good, and it's a good day to say that I want to vacate all the belts that I currently hold - to make them free so that the guys who are in line for them can box,"[/b] said Usyk in a social media post.[/p][p][b]"My friends, I'm giving up the belts, but I'm not leaving the sport, because I still have my last dance.[/b][/p][p][b]"I want to thank everyone; I respect all organisations. I want to thank everyone and say there is more to come."[/b][/p][embed guid="f3aa6424-a767-4d6d-af39-44f5929c5705" url="https://x.com/usykaa/status/2070539479618666766" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Usyk has been an undisputed world champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight and boasts an unblemished record of 25 victories, including 16 knockouts, in as many fights.[/b][/p][p]In his amateur career, he was an Olympic, world and European champion.[/p][p]His most iconic victories have been against British heavyweights [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fury-tyson/MDZyQvA1/"]Tyson Fury[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joshua-anthony/WnlqLAvo/"]Anthony Joshua[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dubois-daniel/G0otNoYd/"]Daniel Dubois[/a] - whom he beat twice each.[/p][p]He beat Joshua in September 2021 to win the WBA, WBO and IBF belts and then took the WBC belt off Fury in May 2024.[/p][p]He had to vacate the IBF belt for his rematch with Fury, but then won it back off Dubois in July 2025, only to vacate the WBO belt a few months later.[/p][p]Dubois then beat fellow Briton [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wardley-fabio/tdUKIc84/"]Fabio Wardley[/a] in May to win that belt.[/p]