The IBF have ordered Filip Hrgovic to face Frank Sanchez in a heavyweight world title eliminator, with the winner set to become mandatory for Daniel Dubois’ IBF world title.
The International Boxing Federation declared, “We have ordered [Frank] Sanchez and [Filip] Hrgovic to begin negotiations for the #1 position [currently vacant].
“We are scheduled to notify Dubois and [Derek] Chisora to negotiate for the mandatory defence of the title on April 22.”
Sanchez (25-1, 1 NC, 18 KOs) is currently IBF #4, while Hrgovic (18-1, 14 KOs) is #6, but that position is set to rise in next month’s rankings after the once-beaten Croatian widely outpointed former amateur rival Joe Joyce, in Manchester, England on April 5.
That victory followed on 10 months from his sole professional career defeat to Daniel Dubois, the man who went on to become the IBF world heavyweight champion.
27-year-old Dubois is currently in talks with unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for a rematch in a London stadium in the summer, rumoured to be July 12 at Wembley.
‘The Cuban Flash Sanchez also has one defeat on his record, to Agit Kabayel in May 2024. The unbeaten German stopped Sanchez in seven. Just like Hrgovic, Sanchez has also bounced back with a win. The 32-year-old stopped Mexican Ramon Olivas Echeverria in three rounds in February this year.
