Heavyweight champion Usyk has announced that he is leaving the world heavyweight belts | boxing

Usyk, who held the WBA, WBC and IBF belts, has been a world champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight.

Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk says he is giving up his three world boxing belts, but he is not retiring.

The 39-year-old Ukrainian, who has not won in his professional career, said on Friday that he wanted to “free them up so that the guys in their ranks can fight”.

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Usyk’s announcement came just over a month after he came close to losing to kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.

Usyk needed an 11-round stoppage to turn the tables on the Dutchman, who had led on points until that point despite participating in only his second bout.

“A good day for everyone. Today is Friday, the weather is good, and it’s a good day to say that I want to give up all the belts I’m currently holding – to free them so that the guys in their line can fight,” Usyk said in social media.

“Friends, I’m giving up the belt, but I’m not giving up the game, because I still have my last dance.

“I want to thank everyone; I respect all organizations. I want to thank everyone and say there’s more to come.”

Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBC and IBF belts, has been world champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight and has a record 25 wins, including 16 knockouts, in as many fights.

He is known for his excellent footwork and ring skills, as well as his ability to land punches from unusual angles.

A well-known success

But he looked like a shadow of his former self in a sloppy and dispassionate performance against Verhoeven, whose menacing looks and brutality had the Ukrainian under fire.

Verhoeven had rocked Usyk several times in the shadow of the Great Pyramid of Giza before collapsing late in the 11th round.

After mounting, Usyk bombarded him with a flurry of uppercuts, but Verhoeven appeared to let out a hurricanrana before diving to end the fight.

Usyk’s biggest wins have come against British heavyweights Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois – whom he beat twice each.

He beat Joshua in September 2021 to win the WBA, WBO and IBF belts and then took the WBC belt by knocking out Fury in May 2024.

He had to relinquish the IBF belt in his rematch with Fury, but won again against Dubois in July 2025, only to relinquish the WBO belt a few months later.

Dubois then beat fellow Briton Fabio Wardley in May to win the belt.

Usyk became the WBO cruiserweight champion in 2016 when he defeated Pole Krzysztof Glowacki, beat Mairis Briedis of Latvia in 2018 to add the WBC belt and a few months later took the WBA and IBF belts over Murat Gassiev of Russia.

The Russian, who also moved up to heavyweight, was Usyk’s WBA mandatory challenger and will now promote him to the title.