Meet Fabio Wardley — Boxer who took Usyk's undisputed title
Fabio Wardley (photo: instagram.com/fabiowardley)
Oleksandr Usyk is no longer the undisputed world heavyweight champion. The Ukrainian boxer unexpectedly vacated his World Boxing Organization (WBO) title, immediately reshaping the balance of power in the division. Here is who the undefeated Briton Fabio Wardley is—the fighter who received the full championship belt after this decision—and how the global boxing community is reacting.
Usyk vacated the WBO belt: Details of the decision
The decision of the Ukrainian world champion, who now holds the WBA, WBC, IBO, and IBF titles, appears to be another step toward winding down his remarkable career in the heavyweight division. The World Boxing Organization (WBO) confirmed it had received an official notice from Usyk's team about his decision to vacate the title.
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri personally commented on the move, expressing deep respect for the Ukrainian. He called Usyk a "champion of champions" and emphasized that his career is "one of the most outstanding and historic in the modern era of boxing."
"The WBO deeply honors a champion of such caliber both inside and outside the ring. Usyk embodies excellence, discipline, integrity, and patriotism. He is a source of pride for the people of Ukraine and a true global ambassador for boxing," Olivieri said.
He stressed that the WBO accepts and respects the decision made by Usyk's team, but hopes "this is not a farewell, but, as his team put it, a respectful pause."
"The doors of the WBO will always remain open to Oleksandr Usyk and his team. We extend our warmest wishes to Oleksandr, his family, and his entire team in all future personal and professional endeavors," the organization said in an official statement published on its X account.
Oleksandr Usyk has relinquished the WBO Heavyweight Championship.
— WBO (@WorldBoxingOrg) November 17, 2025
The WBO honors his historic career and calls this a respectful pause—not a farewell. pic.twitter.com/UL2AJYbRmd
Fabio Wardley is the new WBO champion
After Usyk vacated the title, the WBO belt automatically passed to 30-year-old Briton Fabio Wardley, who previously held the interim WBO title and was the mandatory challenger to face the Ukrainian.
Wardley was born on December 18, 1994, in Ipswich, England. He stands 196 cm tall with a reach of 198 cm. These are measurements typical of an elite heavyweight.
Fabio Wardley (photo: instagram.com/fabiowardley)
Wardley made his professional debut in April 2017, and his record is impressive: 20 wins, 19 of them by knockout, and just one draw.
Wardley's career stands out because, unlike most top heavyweights, he had no official amateur background. He began taking boxing seriously only at the age of 20, moving into the professional ranks after competing in several white-collar bouts.
Fabio Wardley and Ed Sheeran (photo: instagram.com/fabiowardley)
Before dedicating himself to boxing full-time, he worked as a recruiter in London. But the lack of traditional boxing training did not stop him from rising quickly. In 2020, he won the English heavyweight title, and in 2022, he beat Nathan Gorman to claim the British title.
In 2023, Wardley added the WBO European and Commonwealth titles to his collection.
In 2025, he first won the interim WBA title and later the interim WBO title, defeating former world champion Joseph Parker.
Interesting facts about Wardley
- He could have become a professional footballer. Fabio played in the Ipswich Town Academy, but an ankle injury forced him to switch to a different sport.
- At the beginning of his boxing journey, Wardley sparred with Usyk, which, according to him, provided him with valuable experience and a deeper understanding of the demands of professional training.
Wardley is a huge Ipswich Town fan (photo: instagram.com/fabiowardley)
Reaction of Wardley's promoter to the title win
Wardley's promoter, the legendary Frank Warren, did not hide his emotions after his fighter became the new world champion. He called it "one of the most incredible stories" he has witnessed in his 45-year career.
He emphasized that Britain now has "a new heavyweight world champion and a new star of the sport." The promoter expressed full confidence in Wardley's future, stating that there are "some huge fights ahead for 2026."
Evidently, Fabio must now prepare for his first mandatory title defense. Experts are already hinting at a possible mandatory challenger—young British fighter Moses Itauma, who is ranked No. 1 by the organization.
Britain has a new heavyweight world champion and a new star of the sport.
— Frank Warren (@FrankWarren) November 17, 2025
One of the most incredible stories I’ve seen in my 45 years as a promoter and I could not be prouder of @FabioWardley.
Some huge fights ahead for 2026 as he defends his WBO belt and creates a true legacy… pic.twitter.com/XYapl0vs9n
Why did Usyk vacate the WBO belt?
Experts at Boxing News 24 suggest that Usyk's decision was driven by financial and strategic considerations: at 38, a fight with the younger and more aggressive Wardley could have been risky, whereas rematches with Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua promise much bigger purses in 2026.
It was reported that "Financially, it made more sense for the 38-year-old Oleksandr (24-0, 15 KOs) to vacate the WBO title and wait for Fury or Joshua to fall into his lap by the forces of gravity than to take a risky title defense against the much younger, high-volume knockout artist Wardley."
"He's an entirely different type of fighter than those two or anyone Usyk has faced since moving up to the heavyweight division in 2019. At this point in Usyk's career, it's highly questionable if he could beat Wardley. His punch resistance is unreal, and he is an all-out attack-oriented type of fighter with knockout power in either hand,” experts add.
