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England's heavyweight contender is expected to be elevated to heavyweight title holder after the Ukrainian champion chose to vacate his title

This follows after Ukrainian fighter notified the WBO he would not proceed with a mandatory title defence against his mandatory opponent

WBO Statement

The WBO stated that Usyk had "elected to relinquish his championship following careful thought"

The Ukrainian maintains the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles, having defeated Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in mid-year to become a double undisputed champion

He originally secured the complete unified champion in May 2024 by defeating the British champion, before relinquishing one championship shortly after and opting out of facing the mandatory challenger

"WBO president Gustavo Olivieri called Usyk "a champion of champions" in a statement"

"The organization offers its profound respect, admiration and gratitude to the Ukrainian champion, an perfect record holder across weight classes"

"His career stands as one of the most extraordinary and historic of the modern boxing era"

The organization continued that its doors "will always remain open the fighter and his management"

Belt Timeline

Usyk secured the world title in 2021 by defeating Anthony Joshua and went on to defend it four times

In mid-year, the championship body required discussions for a obligatory championship fight against New Zealand's Parker, only for a Usyk's physical issue to force the postponement of the bout

British Fighter's Journey

But Wardley, won the provisional belt from Parker with a huge upset in the 11th round at the capital's venue recently and was ordered to fight the champion before the end of September

The boxing organization hasn't formally announced the British fighter's elevation but his representative believes it is a formality

"The UK has a new heavyweight world champion and a new star of the sport"

"One of the most incredible stories throughout my decades as a sports manager and I could not be happier for the British fighter"

"Major contests coming up for 2026 as he protects his championship and creates a true legacy in the boxing world"

The champion started fighting at twenty years old, emerging from the amateur circuit and has had only 21 pro bouts

What's Next

• Wardley's expected promotion signals a major shift in the division
• Usyk's decision to relinquish the title creates fresh possibilities for other contenders
• The fighting community now anticipates verification from the boxing organization
• The champion's path from unconventional beginning to title holder continues to capture attention