Usyk Vacates All Heavyweight Titles, Plans Final Fight

Oleksandr Usyk, the undefeated unified heavyweight champion, announced on Friday, June 26, that he is vacating his WBC, WBA, and IBF world titles. The 39-year-old Ukrainian clarified he is not retiring, stating he intends to have one final bout, which he called his "last dance."

In a video posted on social media, Usyk described the move as a well-considered decision to free the belts for the next generation of contenders. "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," he said. "Friends, I'm leaving the belts but I'm not leaving the sport, because I still have my last dance."

The decision ends one of the most dominant championship reigns in modern heavyweight history. Usyk, an Olympic gold medalist in 2012, first became the undisputed cruiserweight champion before moving up to heavyweight. He achieved undisputed status in the sport's premier division by defeating Anthony Joshua twice, Tyson Fury twice, and Daniel Dubois. His professional record stands at 25-0.

His announcement follows a controversial 11th-round stoppage victory over Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in May. The fight's conclusion sparked...