Oleksandr Usyk surprised the world: why did he give up one championship belt?

Usik posted a video address to Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois on June 25 on June 25. He reported that he has a "important" prize for them, namely his own IBF championship.

He will receive the winner of the duel Joshua - Duba, which will take place on September 21 this year.

"The IBF belt is my gift to you on September 23, 20124. The world loves the strong," the boxer wrote.

Usyk became the first 25 -year -old boxing champion on May 19. Then he won a separate decision of the judges in the heavy battle of British Tyson Fury.

There were four championship zones of the most important boxing organizations - IBF, WBO, WBA and WBC.

Winning, the Ukrainian managed to unite them all in their hands and for the first time become the absolute champion of the world in overweight. The last time the title had the legendary Lennox Lewis in 1999. He was such champions, in particular, no less legendary Mike Tyson and Evander Holifield.

But talking that its title of absolute Usik will not last long after the Fury match. The questions were different: forcibly or voluntarily Ukrainian boxer will get rid of the IBF belt?

Usik - Fury: The desire for revenge

If you briefly explain the vicissitudes with the championship belts of Usik, then the main reason for this is one - possible rematch with Fury, which according to preliminary forecasts can take place on December 21 this year.

This opportunity was immediately registered in the battle contract.

But one of the main boxing organizations - IBF - is fundamentally opposed to the prescription of the obligatory revenge.

The organization believes that the protection of the title of the newly made champion should not happen with his previous rival, but with the obligatory contender, which will be determined by this organization.

British Daniel Dubau, on June 1, knocked out this compulsory contender of IBF - Croat Philip Khhorgovich. And immediately he found himself the next enemy - also British Anthony Joshua.

But Usik is not going to fight with Khrgovich, Dubois, or Joshua. In addition, the last two Ukrainians have already won the ring (Joshua - even twice).

The boxer immediately stated that he was interested exclusively in a rematch with Fury.

Due to this position, IBF could forcibly deprive the Usik of the championship.

Such precedents were already. For example, in November last year, IBF decided to select her belt from the absolute semi -medium weight of American Terens Crawford. The situation there was similar: Crawford became a champion after winning his compatriot Errol Spence.

IBF believed that his next rival should be a compulsory contender according to this organization Jaron Annis. However, Crawford was inclined to carry out a contract with Spence. IBF first warned Crawford of possible sanctions, and then simply gave it a belt - without a championship battle - Jaron Annis.

Crawford commented on this IBF decision is obscene, but his reaction did not change the situation: formally he stopped being an absolute champion.

However, IBF rules still have exceptions. According to them, any current champion has the right to contact the organization and demand for themselves an exception to any IBF rule. Theoretically, Alexander Usik could ask the IBF to allow him to play a rematch against Fury without getting rid of his belt.

On May 24, the IBF President confirmed Boxing Scene that the Usika team made an exception to the rules of the organization: the Ukrainian allegedly asked him to consider him a revenge with Fury a match for absolute championship.

But on June 25, it turned out that Usik decided to go the other way and voluntarily gave the belt.

His promoter Alexander Krasyuk confirmed publicly that the IBF championship rank is now vacant.

Well -known boxing journalist and analyst Dan Raphael believes that Usik did not really have the choice in this situation.

"Oleksandr Usik really had no choice. In the first contract for battle with Tyson Fury it was stipulated that the winner of the megafait should release the title of IBF," he wrote in X (former Twitter).

However, the manager of Ukrainian Egis Klimas denies it.

"This is not true. We did not have such an item in the contract. Usik did so because he wanted to," he replied to Raphael.

Whatever the real causes of this decision is Usik, they are not of global importance. He has already remained in history as an absolute champion, defeating all his competitors in overweight. It would not have practical content endlessly for a long time to keep all the championship belts in their hands.