Fabio Wardley has achieved the status of heavyweight world champion as Oleksandr Usyk relinquished his title. Wardley secured the interim WBO champion title by defeating Joseph Parker in an exhilarating 11th-round battle last month. Usyk, who was mandated to defend his four belts against Wardley, decided against facing the British fighter for the ninth time.
Usyk, a former two-time undisputed world champion, had victories over Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois. Despite intending to retire after one more fight, Usyk recently announced his decision to continue boxing for an additional two years. Wardley’s journey to becoming a world champion is remarkable, starting his career in white-collar boxing and transitioning to the professional circuit in 2017 without an amateur background.
With a remarkable record of 20 wins, one draw, and zero losses, Wardley has achieved 19 knockouts, defeating notable opponents like Justis Huni, David Adeleye, Nick Gorman, and Nick Webb. Frazer Clarke is the only boxer to have forced a draw against Wardley, tarnishing his otherwise flawless record in their initial meeting last March. However, Wardley decisively triumphed in their rematch in October of the same year with a first-round TKO.
While Wardley expressed a strong desire to face Usyk, the Ukrainian’s decision to vacate the belt allowed Wardley to realize his dream of becoming a world champion without facing the current top-ranked boxer. This marks the second time Usyk has relinquished a title, having previously given up his IBF belt to pursue a rematch with Fury instead of facing the mandatory challenger Dubois.
Following Wardley’s championship victory, his promoter Frank Warren expressed pride in the new WBO heavyweight champion, highlighting the exciting prospects for Wardley in defending his title and leaving a lasting legacy in the sport. Warren commended Wardley’s journey as one of the most remarkable stories in his 45-year career as a promoter.