Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk has announced his intention to vacate all the championship belts he currently holds. Usyk stated that this decision is not a retirement from the sport, but rather a move to make the titles available for the next contenders in line.
"This is a well-considered decision that I am confident will open new opportunities for me. This is not the end of the story. The continuation lies ahead," Usyk said in a statement posted on X. He also mentioned in a video message, "I want to vacate all the belts that I currently hold to make them available for the guys next in line to fight for them. Friends, I'm leaving the belts but not the sport because I still have my last dance."
The 39-year-old Ukrainian boxer, who boasts an undefeated professional record of 25 wins, previously held the WBA 'super', WBC, and IBF belts. He indicated prior to his last fight in May, a victory over Rico Verhoeven, that he planned to compete in two more bouts before considering his future in boxing. This announcement suggests his intention to pursue those remaining fights.