The former two-division and three-time undisputed champion announced Friday on social media that he is vacating his IBF, WBA and WBC titles. Usyk is not vacating the Ring heavyweight title.

Usyk said that he wanted to leave the belts for the upcoming contenders and that he isn’t retiring.

“This is a well-considered decision that I am confident will open new opportunities for me,“ Usyk wrote. “This is not the end of the story. The continuation lies ahead.”

Usyk (25-0, 16 KOs) last fought on May 23, beating Rico Verhoeven by contentious 11th-round stoppage in Egypt. Two of the three judges had the bout even at 95-95 before the 39-year-old Ukrainian southpaw secured the dramatic stoppage win over the former Glory Kickboxing heavyweight champion.

Usyk, The Ring’s No. 2-ranked fighter pound-for-pound, first became an undisputed champion at cruiserweight in 2018 before moving up to heavyweight in 2019. After notching victories over Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora, he went into hostile territory to challenge then-unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua at Tottenham Stadium in London and upset him by unanimous decision in September 2021.

Usyk won the rematch nearly 11 months later by split decision in Saudi Arabia.

After defeating Daniel Dubois by ninth-round knockout in their first fight in August 2023 in Poland, Usyk faced Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight crown in May 2024. He staged a rally in the second half and dropped the 6-foot-9 Fury in the ninth round en route to winning by split decision to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

Usyk was stripped of the IBF title ahead of his rematch with Fury in December 2024, which he went on to win by a decisive unanimous decision.

Dubois was elevated to full champion by the IBF, and he beat Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) by fifth-round knockout in his first title defense in September 2024. Usyk and Dubois rematched for the undisputed heavyweight title in July 2025, and the former won even more decisively, beating the Londoner by fifth-round knockout at Wembley Stadium.

Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs), The Ring’s No. 1-ranked heavyweight, currently holds the WBO title.

A bout with Agit Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs), The Ring’s No. 2-ranked heavyweight, appeared to be next, as the German was Usyk’s mandatory challenger for his WBC title. Rematching Verhoeven (1-1, 1 KO) could also be on the table, given the controversial nature of how referee Mark Lyson stopped their fight after the bell rang to end the 11th round.

Regardless of who he fights next, the end appears to be near for Usyk, who is one of the greats of his era.