Fabio Wardley has claimed the heavyweight world championship title as Oleksandr Usyk decided to vacate his belt. In a thrilling match last month, Wardley defeated Joseph Parker in the 11th round to secure the interim WBO championship. Usyk, who was set to defend his four belts against Wardley, opted out of facing the Ipswich fighter for the ninth time against a British opponent.
Usyk, a two-time undisputed world champion, had victories over Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois. Planning to retire after one more fight, Usyk recently announced his decision to continue boxing for another two years. Wardley’s journey to becoming a world champion is remarkable, starting his career in the white-collar boxing scene without any amateur background but achieving success in the professional arena since 2017.
With a remarkable record of 20 wins, one draw, and zero losses, including 19 knockouts, Wardley has defeated notable opponents like Justis Huni, David Adeleye, Nick Gorman, and Nick Webb. Frazer Clarke is the only fighter who managed to hold Wardley to a draw, but Wardley dominated their rematch with a first-round TKO.
Although Wardley had set his sights on facing Usyk, he did not need to fight the current heavyweight champion to achieve his dream of becoming a world champion. This marks the second time Usyk has relinquished a title, having previously given up his IBF belt last year to face an immediate rematch with Fury rather than defend against Dubois, the mandatory challenger.
Following Usyk’s decision, Dubois was elevated to full IBF champion, eventually losing to Usyk in a match in July 2025. Wardley’s promoter, Frank Warren, celebrated Wardley’s victory, expressing pride in his fighter and looking forward to Wardley defending his WBO title and making a lasting impact in the sport in the coming years.