Overview
- Usyk announced on Friday, June 26, 2026 that he had vacated his WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles while saying he will pursue one final “last dance” fight before retiring.
- The decision removes a looming WBC mandatory against interim champion Agit Kabayel and is expected to let the WBC upgrade Kabayel or order another fight to fill that belt.
- Reports say the WBA and IBF will also move quickly to fill their vacancies with likely beneficiaries including Murat Gassiev for the WBA and Frank Sanchez as the IBF front-runner, though final decisions and match orders remain unconfirmed.
- Usyk has not named an opponent or date for his final bout and commentators are speculating about a rematch with Rico Verhoeven or a high-profile non-mandatory fight, but those options are not confirmed.
- The move follows Usyk’s controversial May win over Verhoeven and his 2025 WBO vacatur, and it hands a sudden opportunity to top contenders while forcing promoters and sanctioning bodies to rewrite the heavyweight title map.