Oleksandr Usyk vacates world title belts but confirms he is not retiring from sport

Oleksandr Usyk has vacated his world title belts but confirmed that he is not retiring from the sport.

The Ukrainian announced that he will vacate his WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles.

He also shared that he will fight for one last time before hanging up his gloves, with his opponent yet to be confirmed.

In a video message posted on social media, Usyk said: "Friends, good afternoon everyone.

"Today is Friday, the weather is beautiful. It's a good day to say that I want to vacate all the belts I currently hold.

"I want to make them available, so that the guys who are next in the line can fight for them."

He continued: "Friends, I'm leaving the belts, but I'm not leaving the sport because I still have my last dance.

"I want to thank everyone. I have great respect for all organisations. I want to thank everyone and say there's more to come. Glory to God for everything. Glory to Ukraine."

LATEST SPORTS NEWS

• World Cup day 16: All the latest updates with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to face off tonight
• Shakhtar Donetsk eyeing up Premier League stadium to play European football in next season
• Sweden star goes viral after misunderstanding following World Cup Match

Usyk decided to ditch his WBO title last November, with Fabio Wardley taking the belt.

This stripped him of his title as undisputed champion, which he had claimed after beating Tyson Fury.

Usyk had to defeat Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois to hold all the titles, with the WBA crown being his for over four years.

The Ukrainian was ordered to take on Agit Kabayel, but that fight will no longer take place after the 39-year-old's move.

Usyk has not confirmed who his final fight will be against, with suggestions that it could be his most recent opponent, Rico Verhoeven.

The kickboxing icon lost to the Ukrainian in May, courtesy of a late stoppage.

Verhoeven flirted with the idea of fighting Usyk again, commenting under his announcement video.

He wrote: "The last dance 'rematch time'. Let's make this the biggest crossover event of this era."

More to follow...

Win two tickets to a FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final. ExpressVPN are giving one lucky Friend or Member the chance to experience football's biggest tournament live, with flights and accommodation covered by GB News. Entries close 30 June.ENTER HERE.__

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter