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England's Fabio Wardley is expected to be elevated to heavyweight title holder after the Ukrainian champion opted to give up his world title

This development comes after Ukrainian fighter told boxing authorities he would not engage in a obligatory title fight against his mandatory opponent

Boxing Organization's Position

The championship body announced that Usyk chose to vacate his title after thoughtful consideration"

The Ukrainian maintains the three major championship belts, having beaten his British opponent at Wembley Stadium in the summer month to become a repeat unified title holder

He initially achieved the complete unified champion in spring 2024 by beating Tyson Fury, before vacating another belt a month afterwards and deciding not to fight the obligatory contender

"Boxing official Gustavo Olivieri described Usyk as exceptional in a official release"

"The organization offers its deep appreciation and respect to Usyk, an unbeaten multi-division champion"

"His career stands as one of the most extraordinary and historic of the recent fighting history"

The boxing body stated that its organization will always welcome Usyk and his team"

Championship History

Usyk secured the WBO belt in recently by beating the British star and went on to protect his title repeatedly

In mid-year, the WBO had ordered negotiations for a required title defense against New Zealand's Parker, only for a champion's back problem to force the postponement of the contest

British Fighter's Journey

But Wardley, 30, took the interim title from the New Zealander with a significant shock in the later stages at the famous London arena recently and was mandated to face Usyk before the September deadline

The championship body still needs to verify the title change but his promoter Frank Warren believes it is a certainty

"The UK has a fresh boxing champion and a rising boxing talent"

"One of the most incredible stories during my long career as a sports manager and I could not be more pleased for Wardley"

"Some huge fights ahead for the coming period as he defends his WBO belt and creates a true legacy in the sport"

The champion started fighting relatively late, coming through the unlicensed white-collar scene and has had a limited professional record

Coming Challenges

• The anticipated title change signals a major shift in the weight class
• The champion's choice to give up the championship creates fresh possibilities for additional challengers
• The fighting community now anticipates verification from the championship body
• The British fighter's journey from unconventional beginning to title holder continues to inspire many