The news was widely anticipated, but the final confirmation only came yesterday. Ukrainian superstar Oleksandr Usyk, who just over a month ago achieved the historic feat of unifying all four major world heavyweight titles by defeating the gigantic English boxer Tyson Fury, has decided to vacate the IBF Title. This decision was essentially mandatory due to the rematch clause that will force Usyk to face Fury again in December, preventing him from fulfilling the IBF mandatory defense obligation against English challenger Daniel Dubois.
Usyk announced his decision in a video released on social media where, addressing Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, who will most likely face each other in September at Wembley, he said: “Anthony and Daniel, listen – I know the IBF title is important to you. It is my present to you for September 21.”
As clarified by renowned American journalist Dan Rafael, Dubois was promptly elevated to the status of world champion following Usyk’s vacating of the title. The Englishman had won the interim IBF title with his overwhelming victory over Croatian Filip Hrgovic, who had long held the status of mandatory challenger, but now finds himself on the throne in full. Should the increasingly likely Wembley derby be confirmed, Dubois would enter the ring with the IBF belt, while Joshua would be the challenger.