Fabio Wardley has achieved the title of heavyweight world champion as Oleksandr Usyk decided to relinquish his belt. In a thrilling match last month, Wardley defeated Joseph Parker in the 11th round, securing the interim WBO championship. Usyk, who was mandated to defend his four belts against Wardley, opted out of facing the British fighter for the ninth time.
Having previously claimed the undisputed world champion title by defeating Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois, the Ukrainian initially planned to have one more fight but recently expressed intentions to continue competing for an additional two years. Wardley’s journey to becoming a world champion is remarkable, starting his career in white-collar boxing without any amateur background but achieving success in the professional arena since 2017.
With a remarkable record of 20 wins, one draw, and no losses, Wardley has scored 19 knockouts against opponents like Justis Huni, David Adeleye, Nick Gorman, and Nick Webb. The only blemish on his record is a draw against Frazer Clarke, which Wardley avenged with a first-round TKO in their rematch. Despite expressing eagerness to face Usyk, Wardley did not need to fight the current heavyweight champion to realize his dream.
Usyk’s decision to relinquish his belt marks the second time he has done so, following a similar move last year with the IBF title to pursue a rematch with Tyson Fury instead of facing the mandatory challenger Dubois. Dubois eventually became the full IBF champion, defending his title with a fifth-round knockout of Anthony Joshua before losing to Usyk in a match at Wembley Stadium in July 2025.
Promoter Frank Warren reacted swiftly to Wardley’s triumph, hailing him as the new WBO heavyweight champion. Warren expressed pride in Wardley’s accomplishment and anticipated exciting fights ahead as Wardley defends his title and builds a lasting legacy in the sport.