Frank Sanchez, the leading IBF heavyweight contender, will watch the August 29 battle between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic with interest.
Oleksandr Usyk last week relinquished the IBF title, as well as his WBC and WBA straps, to focus on a ‘last dance’. The WBC has since elevated interim beltholder Agit Kabayel to full champion and the WBA will now reportedly recognize Murat Gassiev, the ‘regular’ titlist, as their main man in the banner division. The situation with the IBF, however, isn’t so clear.
Sanchez, who sits at No. 1 with the IBF, needs an opponent to challenge for the vacant title with the No. 2 position currently vacant. Itauma is third and Hrgovic is fourth.
Itauma, promoted by Queensberry, had previously been ordered to face Sanchez in an eliminator but the opportunity was turned down by the Englishman’s team. The reason, BoxingScene were informed, was due to Usyk then holding three belts and the IBF being last in the pecking order to enforce a mandatory. With Usyk now set to go his own way, that situation no longer applies.
“My expectation is that Moses Itauma could possibly be Frank Sanchez’s opponent in the near future, but we will have to wait and see who he ultimately fights next for the vacant title,” Sanchez’s manager, Mike Borao, told Sky Sports.
Cuba’s Sanchez, 26-1 (19 KOs), faced Richard Torrez Jnr instead after Itauma passed on the chance, spectacularly stopping the American in two rounds. His only loss came in 2024 when he was stopped in seven rounds by Kabayel.
“I was surprised when Moses initially turned down the final eliminator against Frank Recently,” Borao continued.
“Moses is an incredible talent with a massive upside. I myself am a fan of Moses but a fight with Frank is probably a bit too soon, since he is young and there are other paths to a title for him.”
Itauma, 14-0 (12 KOs), blasted out the durable Jermaine Franklin in March and is now the leading contender with the WBA and WBO. Daniel Dubois, also promoted by Queensberry, is the WBO champion and has been mentioned as a potential next opponent for Itauma if he gets past Hrgovic.
“Frank Sanchez will become the first Cuban heavyweight champion in 2026, no matter who he boxes for the vacant title,” Borao said. “In the end, it doesn’t matter who Frank boxes because, as I have always said, a healthy Frank Sanchez with [coach] Eddy Reynoso and Canelo [Alvarez] in his corner beats anyone.
“Frank’s single loss resulted from an injury. A healthy Sanchez would have beaten Agit Kabayel in my opinion. Boxing fans saw the devastation Frank Sanchez is capable of against Richard Torrez.”
