Frank Sanchez Cashes In His Step-Aside: Hrgovic Defense Looms

Filip Hrgovic barely had time to enjoy the IBF heavyweight belt before the paperwork caught up with him. Frank Sanchez, the 26-1 (19 KO) Cuban who stepped aside to let Hrgovic and Moses Itauma fight for the vacant strap, is now calling in that favor. Speaking to Boxing News, Sanchez said he's exercising his mandatory and expects the fight to land in December or January, as soon as Hrgovic is ready.

This was always the deal. Sanchez earned the number-one slot by starching Richard Torrez in two rounds and then agreed to the step-aside that cleared the path for Hrgovic to halt Itauma last month. In exchange, he was guaranteed the first crack at whoever walked out with the belt. Now he's making it clear he has no interest in taking another envelope to delay his shot.

The Other Offers on the Table

That's a problem for a couple of shinier pitches. Itauma, still a perfect 14-0 (12 KO) despite the setback, has floated a rematch, and Turki Al-Alshikh reportedly fancied a Hrgovic clash with kickboxing crossover Rico Verhoeven. Both of those only happen if Sanchez agrees to step aside a second time. He won't, at least not at the price being offered.

Sanchez didn't bother with diplomacy about the matchup itself. He said he's faster and stronger than Hrgovic, that he intends to win and become the first Cuban heavyweight champion, and that when he's healthy, nobody at the weight can beat him. Bold talk from a man with one loss on his ledger, but the KO over Torrez bought him the right to it.

The Venue Headache

The timing creates a logistical mess. Hrgovic had eyed a homecoming defense at the 11,000-seat Kranjceviceva Stadium in Zagreb, but the renovation isn't due to finish until February. That means either Sanchez waits out the build, which he's signaled he won't, or the pair find another venue for a December or January fight.

Hrgovic has also name-dropped unification bouts against WBC champ Agit Kabayel (27-0, 19 KO) and WBO holder Daniel Dubois (23-3, 22 KO), assuming both come through their next assignments. Dubois just stopped Fabio Wardley in the 11th; Kabayel wrecked Damian Knyba in three. Tidy fights on paper. But with Sanchez refusing to budge, none of them clear the queue until the mandatory is settled first.