Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning undisputed heavyweight champion and the first boxer to hold all four major titles (WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO) in the heavyweight division, has made a shocking announcement. Usyk has officially relinquished his IBF World Championship title.
This decision means Usyk will no longer hold the “undisputed” title on paper. With plans to rematch Tyson Fury later this year, Usyk cannot fulfill the IBF’s mandatory title defense requirement against interim titleholder Daniel Dubois.
Instead, Usyk has decided to turn the IBF belt into a “gift” for the newly announced fight between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua.
“Anthony and Daniel, listen up. I know the IBF belt is very important to you both. And it will be my gift to you on September 21. The world loves strength, your friend, the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Oleksandr Usyk,” Usyk said in a video shared on his social media.
Oleksandr Usyk’s IBF belt will now be contested in the upcoming fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.
Both Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois have previously been defeated by Oleksandr Usyk in heavyweight title bouts. Usyk first beat Joshua in 2021 to claim the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO titles, and then won the rematch in 2022 to retain his titles.
In August 2023, Usyk knocked out Daniel Dubois to secure his second title defense before facing Tyson Fury on May 18, 2024, for the unification bout. Usyk staged a remarkable comeback in the ninth round with a knockdown to win by unanimous decision, becoming the first boxer to unify all four major heavyweight titles.
Usyk’s announcement to give up the IBF belt has intrigued fans, showing his complete dominance over his former opponents. Now, the 37-year-old’s focus is on defeating Tyson Fury for the second time in their anticipated rematch later this year.
