Fabio Wardley has claimed the title of heavyweight world champion following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to relinquish his belt. Wardley defeated Joseph Parker in the 11th round last month to secure the interim WBO championship. Usyk, who was mandated to defend his four titles against Wardley, opted out of what would have been his ninth bout against a British opponent.
Usyk, a two-time undisputed world champion, had previously defeated Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois. Despite planning to retire after one more fight, he recently announced his intention to continue competing for two more years. Wardley’s journey to becoming a world champion is remarkable, considering he started his career in the white-collar boxing scene without any amateur background. Since turning professional in 2017, Wardley has only one draw among his 20 wins, with 19 knockouts against opponents like Justis Huni, David Adeleye, Nick Gorman, and Nick Webb.
The only blemish on Wardley’s record is a draw against Frazer Clarke, which he avenged with a first-round TKO in their rematch. While Wardley was eager to face Usyk, he ultimately achieved his dream of becoming a world champion without fighting the current heavyweight champion. This is the second time Usyk has vacated a title, having relinquished his IBF belt last year to pursue an instant rematch with Fury instead of facing mandatory challenger Dubois.
Following Wardley’s title win, promoter Frank Warren expressed pride in the new WBO heavyweight champion, highlighting the bright future ahead for Wardley in defending his belt and making a lasting impact in the sport.