Oleksandr Usyk just pulled the pin on a grenade in the heavyweight division—and no, he’s not walking away from the sport. The 39-year-old Ukrainian, who’s never tasted defeat in 25 pro fights, announced he’s giving up all his belts. But don’t mistake this for retirement. "This isn’t the end of the story," he posted on X, adding that the next chapter is still unwritten. It’s a move that’s equal parts strategic and mysterious, leaving fans and fighters alike scrambling to figure out what comes next.
Usyk’s decision didn’t come out of nowhere, though. Leading up to his last bout in May—a brutal, late-round victory over kickboxing convert Rico Verhoeven in Egypt—he’d hinted he still had two fights left in him before even considering hanging up the gloves. Verhoeven, who’d only stepped into a boxing ring once before, pushed Usyk harder than anyone expected, forcing the champ to dig deep into the 11th round. That fight was supposed to be a tune-up, but it turned into a war, and now the question is: who gets the next shot at Usyk’s throne—or whatever’s left of it?
The belts in question—the WBA ‘super,’ WBC, and IBF titles—are now up for grabs, and the line of contenders is already forming. The WBC had ordered Usyk to face Agit Kabayel next, a German fighter with an unblemished record who’s been waiting in the wings for his moment. With Usyk stepping aside, Kabayel suddenly finds himself at the front of the queue. But he’s not the only one with a claim. Frank Sanchez sits atop the IBF rankings, while Murat Gassiev holds the WBA ‘regular’ belt. And let’s not forget Daniel Dubois, the Brit who’s already tasted defeat at Usyk’s hands twice but still holds the WBO title after a recent win over Fabio Wardley. The heavyweight division, once dominated by Usyk’s shadow, is now a free-for-all.
For Usyk, this move is all about control. By vacating the belts, he’s sidestepping the politics, the mandatories, and the pressure to defend against whoever the sanctioning bodies deem next in line. It’s a rare luxury in boxing—choosing your own path instead of being shoved down one. "I still have my last dance," he said in a video message, leaving the door wide open for a rematch with Verhoeven or even a final showdown with someone new. The man who dominated cruiserweight before making his heavyweight debut in 2019—and then went on to beat Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury twice—isn’t done yet. But he’s making sure his finale is on his terms, not the sport’s.
The ripple effects of this decision are already being felt. Moses Itauma, a rising British prospect, now sees a clearer path to a world title. For fighters like Kabayel and Sanchez, it’s a shot they’ve been waiting for—but also a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in boxing. Usyk’s exit from the belt scene doesn’t just open doors; it blows them off the hinges. And while he insists this isn’t the end, the heavyweight division will never look the same. The king is dead. Long live the chaos.
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