Oleksandr Usyk

Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Usyk

Oleksandr Usyk is a Ukrainian professional boxer and Olympic gold medalist who became an undisputed champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight. He unified the four major cruiserweight titles in 2018 and achieved undisputed heavyweight championship status in 2024 and again in 2025.

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About Oleksandr Usyk

Profile information current to 2026-08-18.

Ukraine · Professional boxer · 1 affiliation

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Known for: Olympic boxing; Cruiserweight championship boxing; Heavyweight championship boxing; Ukraine-focused humanitarian and reconstruction advocacy
Country: Ukraine

Professional boxer

At a glance

Usyk won the men's heavyweight boxing gold medal for Ukraine at the 2012 London Olympics.
He became undisputed cruiserweight champion in 2018 by holding the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO titles simultaneously.
He became undisputed heavyweight champion by defeating Tyson Fury in 2024 and regained that status by knocking out Daniel Dubois in 2025.
Beyond boxing, Usyk has served as a UNITED24 ambassador for the Rebuild Ukraine program and has supported Ukraine-focused humanitarian activity.
Ukraine honored Usyk with the Order of Freedom and the Presidential Award "National Legend of Ukraine" in 2024.

Background and amateur career

Usyk was born on 17 January 1987 in Simferopol, then part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. His amateur career included a heavyweight world championship in Baku in 2011 and the men's heavyweight gold medal for Ukraine at the 2012 London Olympics.

Undisputed cruiserweight champion

Usyk won his first professional world title by defeating Krzysztof Glowacki for the WBO cruiserweight championship in September 2016. In July 2018, he defeated Murat Gassiev to hold the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO cruiserweight championships simultaneously and win the World Boxing Super Series Muhammad Ali Trophy.

Heavyweight championships

After moving to heavyweight, Usyk defeated Anthony Joshua in September 2021 to win the WBA, IBF and WBO championships. He became undisputed heavyweight champion by defeating Tyson Fury in May 2024 and achieved that status for a second time by knocking out Daniel Dubois in July 2025. He voluntarily vacated the WBA, WBC and IBF titles in June 2026 while stating that he had not retired.

Public roles, education and honors

Following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Usyk returned to Ukraine and joined a territorial defence force. He later became a UNITED24 ambassador for the Rebuild Ukraine program, while the organization reports that his foundation has supported humanitarian relief and purchases for Ukraine's armed forces. In 2024 he received the Order of Freedom and the National Legend of Ukraine award, and in 2025 Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs awarded him a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Law.

Affiliations

UNITED24 Ambassador, Rebuild Ukraine program 2022-10–present

Timeline

2011 Won the amateur heavyweight world championship in Baku.
2012-08-11 Won Olympic heavyweight gold for Ukraine at the London Games.
2016-09-17 Defeated Krzysztof Glowacki to win the WBO cruiserweight championship, his first professional world title.
2018-07-21 Defeated Murat Gassiev to hold the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO cruiserweight titles simultaneously and win the World Boxing Super Series Muhammad Ali Trophy.
2021-09-25 Defeated Anthony Joshua to win the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight championships.
2022-10 Became a UNITED24 ambassador for the Rebuild Ukraine program.
2024-05-18 Defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become undisputed heavyweight champion.
2024-08 Received the National Legend of Ukraine award and the Order of Freedom.
2025-03-18 Was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Law.
2025-07-19 Knocked out Daniel Dubois to become undisputed heavyweight champion for a second time.
2026-06-26 Voluntarily vacated the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight championships while stating that he was not retiring from boxing.

Additional verified details

Current context

Usyk remained an active professional boxer as of 18 August 2026 and had described an intended next appearance as a final or "last dance" fight. He had signaled an approaching retirement but had not retired as of the assessment date.
Usyk no longer held the WBA, WBC or IBF heavyweight championships after voluntarily vacating them on 26 June 2026. The Ring reported that he retained its heavyweight championship. The retained Ring-title status is disputed by an Interfax-Ukraine report, but The Ring is the issuing publication and explicitly reported that its title was not vacated.
The Ring listed Usyk's professional record as 25 wins, no losses and 16 knockout victories.
UNITED24 continued to list Usyk as an ambassador for its Rebuild Ukraine direction.

Biographical facts

Usyk was born on 17 January 1987 in Simferopol, then within the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union.
He won the heavyweight gold medal at the 2011 amateur world championships in Baku.
Representing Ukraine, Usyk won the men's heavyweight boxing gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
After Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Usyk returned to Ukraine and joined a territorial defence force.
UNITED24 reports that the Usyk Foundation has supported humanitarian relief and purchases of vehicles and communications equipment for Ukraine's armed forces.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Usyk Ukraine's Order of Freedom in 2024.
Usyk received the Presidential Award "National Legend of Ukraine" in 2024.
Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs awarded Usyk a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Law following the defense of a dissertation on international cooperation in physical culture and sport.