Frank Sanchez is ranked at the top of the IBF rankings and could soon fight for the vacant heavyweight title following Usyk’s decision to relinquish his belt.
Frank Sanchez could soon be in the ring for a shot at the vacant IBF heavyweight world title. Now that Oleksandr Usyk has relinquished his world championship belts, the IBF title is also vacant. The Cuban is ranked number one by the organization and is now waiting for his potential opponent.
August 29 will be particularly interesting for the 33-year-old. That’s when Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic will face off in London. Itauma is ranked third by the IBF, while Hrgovic is ranked fourth. Since the No. 2 spot is currently vacant, the winner of this bout could be a logical opponent for Sanchez in a fight for the vacant title.
His manager, Mike Borao, is particularly hopeful about a potential matchup with Itauma. “I expect that Moses Itauma could face Frank Sanchez in the near future. But we’ll have to wait and see who he ultimately fights for the vacant title,” said Borao.
Itauma had originally been scheduled for an IBF eliminator against Sanchez, but he turned down the opportunity. Sanchez Instead, he fought Richard Torrez Jr. and won in spectacular fashion in two rounds.
Borao is convinced of his boxer’s potential. “Frank Sanchez will become the first Cuban heavyweight world champion in 2026, no matter who he faces for the vacant title,” he said. He suffered his only loss in 2024 against Agit Kabayel.
Text by Robin Josten