Professional heavyweight boxer Oleksandr Usyk announced on Friday that he will relinquish his three world championship titles, though he confirmed he does not intend to retire from the ring. The 39-year-old Ukrainian, who maintains an undefeated professional record, explained that he wishes to open up these championship opportunities for other contenders. This decision follows a narrow victory last month against Dutch kick-boxer Rico Verhoeven, where Usyk relied on an 11th-round stoppage to secure a win despite trailing on the judges’ scorecards.
In a social media statement, the champion noted that while he is moving on from his current belts, he is not finished with his career and anticipates one final performance. Usyk has previously achieved undisputed champion status in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, holding a perfect record of 25 wins with 16 knockouts. Throughout a decorated career that includes Olympic and world titles as an amateur, he has secured notable professional wins against opponents like Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Daniel Dubois.
