Oleksandr Usyk vacates heavyweight belts; Agit Kabayel crowned WBC champion

Ukrainian heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk announced on Instagram on 26 June 2026 that he is relinquishing his WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles – the last belts he held after vacating the WBO in 2025. He stressed he is not retiring, saying he still has his “last dance” ahead. The move was intended to free the belts for other contenders.

The World Boxing Council (WBC) subsequently elevated interim champion Agit Kabayel, the 33‑year‑old German‑Kurdish boxer, to full heavyweight world champion. Kabayel becomes the first German heavyweight world champion since Max Schmeling in 1932. He had previously held the interim title after defeating Zhilei Zhang and defending it against Damian Knyba. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman expressed disappointment at learning of the vacancy via a social‑media video, initially suspecting it might be AI‑generated.

Usyk hinted at one more fight before retirement, with possible opponents ranging from David Benavidez to Deontay Wilder, but no matchup has been confirmed. The title vacating reshapes the heavyweight division, opening mandatory challenges for Kabayel and other top contenders.