June 26 (Reuters) - Ukraine's undefeated heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk said on Friday he had vacated his WBC, WBA and IBF belts to pursue a 'last dance' final fight, likely in the United States.
The 39-year-old has had 25 professional bouts and became the undisputed heavyweight champion when he handed Briton Tyson Fury his first loss in 2024.
"Today is a good day to announce that I want to give up all the titles that I now hold. To leave them free so that all the guys that are standing in line behind me can box for them," Usyk said in an Instagram video.
"My friends, I am giving up my titles but I am not leaving sport because I have a last dance... there is more to come. Glory to God, Glory to Ukraine."
The 2012 Olympic champion relinquished his WBO championship last year and got a TKO win over Rico Verhoeven in Egypt last month against the backdrop of the Pyramids of Giza.
Kickboxer Verhoeven had tested Usyk before the Ukrainian scored two knockdowns in the 11th round and earned a stoppage, and the competitive nature of the bout gave rise to calls for a rematch.
With Usyk vacating his belts, he no longer has any mandatory title defences blocking a possible second bout with Verhoeven.
German boxer Agit Kabayel, who is the current WBC interim champion, may now be promoted to full championship status.
Britain's Daniel Dubois is the WBO champion.
USYK WANTSFINAL FIGHTS IN THE U.S., LAPIN SAYS
Usyk's sporting director Sergey Lapin told ESPN that the Ukrainian had vacated the belts to give former champion Anthony Joshua, whom Usyk has beaten twice, a chance to reunify them.
"As for Oleksandr, his goal has always been to finish his legendary career with his final fights in the United States, where he wants to leave the last chapter of his boxing legacy," Lapin said.
Usyk became an undisputed cruiserweight champion in 2018 before his long-awaited move up to the heavyweight division.
He took the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts in 2021 with a unanimous decision over Briton Joshua in London.
Usyk also beat Joshua in the rematch and knocked out Daniel Dubois before meeting fellow undefeated boxer Fury twice, outpointing the British veteran in both bouts.
Winning the WBC belt from Fury made Usyk the first male undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era.
Usyk's announcement came as a surprise to WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman, who posted a video reaction on social media that mixed both admiration and irritation.
"Hard to explain, how to put up in words, the feeling of opening social media and see the heavyweight champion of the world just simply relinquishing the belt just like that," said the Mexican. "No phone call, no letter, no attention.
"It's a time that we are living in. Boxers go through many phases. When they begin they are humble and they are hungry and they are thankful, they are loyal. And then money changes everything.
"I am sure Oleksandr Usyk is a special human being. Olympic gold medal, undisputed in the cruiserweight division. Undisputed twice in the heavyweight division... always friendly, always a very nice person. I want to wish him great success inside and outside the ring."
(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Writing by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru/Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Pritha Sarkar and Clare Fallon)
