Wardley Elevated to Full WBO Heavyweight Champion

Fabio Wardley, a 30-year-old heavyweight from Ipswich, England, became the full WBO world champion on November 17, 2025, after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the title rather than defend it against him. The elevation came weeks after Wardley captured the interim version of the belt with an 11th-round stoppage of former champion Joseph Parker at London's O2 Arena on October 25.

Wardley, who entered professional boxing without an amateur background and has compiled a 20-0 record with 19 knockouts, expressed mixed feelings about the promotion. In an interview with BBC Sport, he acknowledged the opportunity but emphasized his preference for earning the title through combat. "It's always nicer to do it properly, do it in the ring, shake hands with your opponent after and say, look, good fight, thank you," Wardley said. He recognized fan skepticism toward titles changing hands without a fight, noting that many prefer champions who prove themselves in the ring.

Usyk, the 38-year-old Ukrainian who holds the distinction of being the only two-time undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era, relinquished the WBO belt to focus on other pursuits near the end of his career. The move leaves...