If that fight goes ahead as planned and Itauma is victorious, Queensberry Promotions would have a major decision to make. Rather than continuing to build the young heavyweight gradually, the British promotional company could send him straight into a world title fight against Sanchez.
The matchup would pit two very different styles against one another. Sanchez has built his reputation as one of the division’s most technically polished heavyweights, using his jab, movement and experience to outbox opponents. Itauma, meanwhile, has quickly emerged as one of boxing’s hottest prospects, compiling a 14-0 record with 12 knockouts through an aggressive, explosive style.
The 33-year-old Cuba-born Sanchez (26-1, 19 KOs) is coming off one of the best performances of his career, stopping previously unbeaten 2020 Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. in the second round on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The emphatic knockout was one of the standout performances on the Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven undercard and immediately re-established Sanchez as a legitimate heavyweight title contender.
The timing is significant because Queensberry promoter Frank Warren has repeatedly said he wants Itauma fighting for a world title before the end of 2026 if he gets past Hrgovic. With the IBF championship now vacant, that opportunity has arrived sooner than many expected.
There are still hurdles before any title fight can be finalized. Itauma must first get through Hrgovic, a seasoned contender who represents by far the toughest opponent of his professional career. A loss would obviously end any immediate title plans, while a difficult victory could also influence how quickly Queensberry decides to move him into a championship bout.
Queensberry also has options elsewhere in the heavyweight division. The company promotes several leading heavyweights, giving Warren flexibility in how he guides Itauma toward a world title if he prefers a different route.
The IBF has made its intentions clear. If Itauma defeats Hrgovic on August 29, he could move directly into a vacant world title fight against Sanchez, giving the unbeaten British contender the opportunity to become one of the youngest heavyweight champions in recent history while handing Sanchez his first shot at a major world title.
