Undisputed heavyweight champion since his victory against Tyson Fury in May, Oleksandr Usyk announced on Tuesday June 25 his renunciation of the IBF belt. The Ukrainian, who must face Fury for a rematch, assures to leave the belt to add stakes to the future fight between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua.
2 mins
No one has defeated him in 22 professional fights boxing, whether among the light heavyweights or the heavyweights. Already unified champion in the first category, Oleksandr Usyk achieved the feat of doing the same in the second, on May 18, 2024 in Riyadh, by inflicting his first defeat on the Briton Tyson Fury. Holder of the four belts WBA (World Boxing Association), WBC (World Boxing Council), WBO (World Boxing Organization) and IBF (International Boxing Federation), the Ukrainian decided to do what no boxer succeeds in doing: him subtract a belt.
More precisely, it is Usyk himself who abandons one of them. The first unified heavyweight champion since the British Lennox Lewis in 1999, the king of the category posted a message on social networks. In it, he addresses two boxers he has already defeated: the British Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.
” Anthony and Daniel, I know the IBF belt is important to you. This is my gift to you for September 21st. », Declares the 2012 Olympic champion, which refers to the Joshua-Dubois fight scheduled for September 21, 2024 in London, in Wembley stadium.
Usyk adds suspense to Joshua-Dubois fight ahead of Fury rematch
The Joshua-Dubois fight was officially confirmed on Wednesday, June 26. In just under three months, the two compatriots will face each other, with the IBF world champion belt vacated by Oleksandr Usyk at stake. A way for the 37-year-old boxer to demonstrate his undeniable hegemony, having already beaten Anthony Joshua twice (unanimous decision each time), Daniel Dubois once (technical knockout) and Tyson Fury recently.
For Usyk, it is also less contractual weight. As holder of the IBF heavyweight belt since September 2021, he was required to face Daniel Dubois, interim champion and designated challenger for a fight for the world title. But the Ukrainian has vowed to offer a rematch to Fury, who was beaten in May. This Usyk-Fury II is to be held on December 21, still in Riyadh.
The end of 2024 therefore promises to be more sustained, with first Joshua-Dubois in September with a belt at stake, then a new explosive face-to-face between Usyk and Fury in December, with undoubtedly the three remaining champion belts at stake.