Oleksandr Usik, along with the Klitschko brothers, glorified Ukraine in world boxing // Photo: nv.ua
With this decision, the boxer stripped himself of the status of absolute world champion in the heavyweight division. He continues to hold the belts of three other key world boxing associations – WBA, WBC and IBF.
WBO confirmed that Usik’s team received a notice from the organization about the refusal of the world heavyweight title. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri, referring to the team of the 38-year-old Ukrainian boxer, called the decision “not a farewell, but a respectful pause.” The former absolute world champion himself does not intend to end his career and will probably return to the ring to regain the title.
The belt went to 30-year-old English boxer Fabio Wardley, who in October defeated New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in a fight for the title of “interim WBO world champion”. After Usik’s announcement, the newly crowned world champion called the decision to relinquish the title strange. “He asked for a break, then he was postponed the date of the title defense. To give up the title after that looks like a very strange decision,” – quotes the Briton “Sky Sports”.
Wardley stated that he is experiencing double feelings. “In a way it’s a sweet and bitter feeling. On the one hand, it’s a fantastic experience for me. On the other hand, I would like the fate of the title to be decided in the ring. Everyone who comes into boxing dreams of becoming a world champion, so it would be ridiculous for me to turn my nose up and say, ‘That wasn’t quite how I wanted it to be,'” he said.
As Logos Press previously reported, Usik found himself at the center of a scandal after he asked for a postponement of his fight with then title challenger Joseph Parker due to “back problems,” but videos of the absolute world champion dancing and playing soccer were made public on the Web. Despite the scandal, the WBO went in favor of Usik’s team and granted a 90-day postponement.
The team of the Ukrainian champion reported that the decision to give up the title Usik took “after careful consideration.” About further plans of the athlete his entourage does not spread.
Alexander Usik is the first and currently the only boxer in history to win all four world titles in the first heavyweight division under the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO versions. He became an absolute world champion for the third time, knocking out British title challenger Daniel Dubois in a recent fight. In 2012, Usik became an Olympic champion at the Games in London (Great Britain).
During his professional career he did not suffer a single defeat (24 wins, 15 of which were by knockout). Three years in a row he was recognized as the best boxer in the world regardless of weight category by the authoritative American magazine “The Ring”.
