Fabio Wardley clinched the heavyweight world championship title as Oleksandr Usyk relinquished his belt. Wardley defeated Joseph Parker in the 11th round last month to secure the interim WBO champion status. Usyk, who was mandated to defend his four belts against Wardley, decided against facing the British boxer for the ninth time.
Having previously held the undisputed world champion title twice after victories over Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois, Usyk had initially planned for one more fight but recently announced his intention to continue competing for two more years. Wardley’s journey to becoming a world champion is remarkable, starting his career in the white-collar boxing scene with no amateur background and transitioning to the professional ranks in 2017, where he has achieved an impressive record.
With 20 wins, one draw, and no losses, Wardley boasts 19 knockouts, triumphing over opponents like Justis Huni, David Adeleye, Nick Gorman, and Nick Webb. Frazer Clarke is the only fighter to have held Wardley to a draw, but Wardley avenged the result with a first-round TKO in their rematch. Wardley expressed his desire to face Usyk, stating it had been a long-standing goal and aspiration for him.
Nevertheless, Wardley did not need to face Usyk to realize his dream of becoming a world champion as Usyk forfeited the title, marking the second time in Usyk’s career that he has vacated a belt. Dubois, who was the IBF mandatory challenger, was upgraded to full IBF champion before defending his title with a knockout victory over Anthony Joshua at Wembley in September. However, Dubois’s reign was short-lived as he faced Usyk in a match where he suffered a fifth-round stoppage.
Frank Warren, Wardley’s promoter, reacted swiftly to Wardley’s achievement, expressing pride in the new WBO heavyweight champion and anticipating exciting fights ahead in 2026 as Wardley defends his title and establishes his legacy in the sport.