Official: WBC allows Usyk to make a voluntary title defense against Wilder
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
Former undisputed heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) has been granted permission for a voluntary defense of his WBC belt.
Details: According to BBC Sport, the Ukrainian champion is now eligible to take his next fight without a mandatory title defense. This decision was made during the ratings committee meeting at the 63rd WBC Congress in Thailand. The committee announced it would not immediately order a mandatory defense for Usyk, paving the way for a potential world championship clash between Usyk and Deontay Wilder.
At the same time, the WBC is determining the future official challenger for the belt. The winner of the upcoming bout between British fighters Lawrence Okolie and Moses Itauma, scheduled for early 2026, will become the mandatory challenger. The victor of that showdown will be eligible to face Usyk after his bout with Wilder.
Reminder: The WBC stripped Terence Crawford of his championship belt.
