Overview
- Usyk announced on Friday, June 26, 2026 that he has vacated the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles and that he will stage one final fight before retiring.
- The decision removes pending mandatory obligations, including a WBC order that had required Usyk to face interim champion Agit Kabayel and a purse-bid process that was nearing deadline.
- Vacating the belts immediately opens multiple title paths so sanctioning bodies can elevate interim holders or order contender fights, with Kabayel, Fabio Wardley, Murat Gassiev and Frank Sanchez among the fighters most directly affected.
- Usyk’s move follows a controversial late stoppage win over Rico Verhoeven in May that prompted questions about his form and appears to have shaped his choice to preserve his unbeaten record for a tailored farewell.
- Promoters and the WBA, WBC and IBF must now complete routine steps such as elevating interim champions, setting mandatory fights or staging purse bids, a process that will quickly reshape who holds each heavyweight belt.