Oleksandr Usyk gives up IBF belt for Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois fight

Just five weeks after becoming the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in nearly 25 years, Oleksandr Usyk has relinquished one of his belts.

Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision on May 18 to add the WBC title to his WBA, WBO, and IBF collection.

However, the Ukrainian has announced that he has vacated his IBF belt. This title could now be contested in the anticipated bout between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

Dubois, the IBF’s mandatory challenger, is expected to fight fellow Briton Joshua at Wembley Stadium on September 21.

“Anthony and Daniel, I know the IBF title is important to you. It is my present to you on 21 September,” Usyk said in a video message posted on X.

Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk had requested that his IBF belt not be stripped so the undisputed title could remain on the line when he fights Tyson Fury in their rematch on December 21.

However, according to its rules, the IBF had to strip Usyk of the title if he did not fight their mandatory challenger next.

Britain’s Lennox Lewis was the last undisputed heavyweight champion before Usyk in 1999, although that was during the three-belt era before the WBO title was officially recognized in 2007.