Oleksandr Usyk relinquished the WBO heavyweight title after being ordered to face Fabio Wardley, a move the British boxer described as "strange"; Wardley is slated to make a defence of the WBO title in early 2026 and said "it would be a pleasure" if Anthony Joshua was his opponent

Fabio Wardley says he cannot understand Oleksandr Usyk's "strange" decision to vacate the WBO heavyweight title instead of defending it against him.

Wardley was elevated to WBO champion following confirmation that Usyk was relinquishing the belt after being ordered to face the British challenger next.

The unbeaten 30 year-old had earned the WBO interim title and a shot at Usyk after his stunning 11th round stoppage of Joseph Parker at The O2 last month.

Asked if he could understand Usyk's decision, Wardley told Sky Sports News: "I don't necessarily know if I can.

"I don't know what he may be planning for himself, whether that be retirement, whether it be a different fight, whether it be another alternative.

"Obviously, we're seeing loads of variations with fighters and what they're doing with their careers at the moment, whether they're pivoting into different sports, or taking breaks and then coming back.

"It was a bit of a strange one, because initially he took a bit of a break. He was allowed an absence, an extension on the belt, and then to give it up just seems a bit of a strange move.

Wardley: AJ title fight 'would be a pleasure'

Wardley is slated to make a defence of the WBO heavyweight world title in the early part of 2026 and, quizzed on the possibility of former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua being his opponent in an all-British bout, the Ipswich-born fighter welcomed the possibility.

"I'm open to all opportunities, all comers, all fighters," he said.

"One thing I've always had through my career is the mantra of never shying away or backing down, always taking on the biggest next fight, and if that would be him [Joshua] then it would be a pleasure to do so."

First on the horizon, however, for Joshua is a surprise fight with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami next month.

Paul was due to face Gervonta Davis, but the fight was cancelled after a civil lawsuit was filed against the lightweight boxing champion, and Joshua has stepped in as a formidable replacement.

"From the professional and athlete standpoint, you always want to pit yourself against the best and stay at the top of the sport, but I can understand it very much from the monetary standpoint," Wardley said of Joshua's decision, which has drawn criticism.

"When a pot of money is put in front of you like that, I think 99 per cent of people are saying 'yes'.

"And for AJ, someone like Jake Paul, to him, he's looking at it like, 'I could probably train for a week or two and tick this off without breaking a sweat'.

"It's almost too good to be true, so why would you say no?" (Sky Sports)