Oleksandr Usyk made an atypical move for a champion: he renounced all heavyweight titles while maintaining his undefeated status. On Friday, the boxer announced this on Instagram — without a press conference, without a managerial statement, personally.
"I want to leave all my belts, make them free so that the guys waiting in line for them can fight. I'm leaving the belts, but I'm not leaving the sport because I have my last dance."
Oleksandr Usyk, Instagram
This is already the second voluntary title relinquishment in a short time: Usyk set aside the WBO belt in autumn 2025 — before even getting a challenger. Now the WBC, WBA, and IBF belts are gone. The athlete remains undefeated with a record of 25-0 (14 KOs).
What a "vacant" belt means
When a reigning champion relinquishes a title, the organization announces a bout between two contenders. In the heavyweight division, the line has already formed: according to UA.Tribuna.com, temporary champion Agit Kabayev (27-0) is contending for the WBC belt and called out Usyk right in the ring after his bout with Verhoeven in May 2026. The WBA and IBF will launch their own selection tournaments. For the division, this means the simultaneous opening of three vacancies — an atypical situation that could spark a series of major bouts between contenders.
Who and where — questions without answers
The opponent for the "last dance" has not been officially named. Among the options considered by the media: Tyson Fury, with whom Usyk has unfinished business, Deontay Wilder, Alex Pereira, Francis Ngannou — and Ricky Verhoeven in a rematch. Last time Usyk said that Fury is on his mind, although at the same time he threatened to fight any WBC challenger.
WBC president Mauricio Suleman responded cautiously: "What a disappointment for me to learn that our heavyweight champion is relinquishing his title." This is a signal that the organization did not agree to the decision in advance.
Precedent: a champion who doesn't need belts
Usyk's logic is pragmatic: titles impose obligations — mandatory defenses, time limits, sanctioning fees. Without belts, he is free to choose his opponent, promoter, and location based solely on the commercial and sporting appeal of the bout. This is exactly how the "last dance" is built with maximum negotiating leverage.
- Usyk is the only boxer in history to win undisputed titles in two weight classes: at cruiserweight (2018) and heavyweight (2024).
- He renounced the WBO belt back in autumn 2025 — at that time it went almost unnoticed.
- His last bout against Verhoeven on May 24, 2026, in Egypt ended in a knockout in the 11th round.
If the "last dance" truly takes place against Fury or another top heavyweight — it will be the biggest commercial fight in Ukrainian boxing. But if the opponent is not announced by the end of summer, there is a real risk that without belts and without an announced bout, audience interest will begin to fade before the show even starts.
