Oleksandr Usyk has vacated his IBF heavyweight title, potentially setting up a fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois for the belt, while he retains his other titles and prepares for a rematch against Tyson Fury in December.
Oleksandr Usyk has little left to prove after becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era.
That may be one reason why the unbeaten Ukrainian star announced Tuesday that he is officially vacating his IBF belt. This move opens the door for Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois to potentially compete for the title.
Joshua and Dubois have been rumored for a clash in Wembley Stadium in London on Sept. 21. However, the matchup is not official yet.
Watch Usyk’s announcement below.
“Anthony and Daniel, listen, I know IBF title important to you,” Usyk said. “[Call] it my present to you on Sept. 21.”
Usyk still retains the WBA, WBC, and WBO belts. He added the WBC heavyweight title to his already impressive collection this past May when he won a thrilling split decision over Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The two are already set for a rematch in Riyadh on Dec. 21.
Usyk was previously granted an exemption by the IBF to hold onto his title while awaiting his rematch against Fury in December. He was still at risk that the sanctioning body could ultimately decide to take the title away from him, so it appears Usyk beat them to the punch.
Should Joshua and Dubois be booked to fight one another as expected, they’ll likely be hoping to face Usyk somewhere down the road. Both boxers have scores to settle with Usyk; he defeated Dubois by knockout in August 2023 and also holds two decision wins over Joshua.