Hrgovic's First IBF Defence Heading to Croatia Against Frank Sanchez

Filip Hrgovic's reign as IBF heavyweight champion is about to get its first real test, and it's set to happen in front of his own people. Promoter Frank Warren has confirmed that number one contender Frank Sanchez — 26-1 with 19 knockouts and ranked seventh — is the targeted opponent, with the fight earmarked for Croatia. Sanchez himself expects it to land in December or January.

This one was always coming. Sanchez was paid to step aside so Hrgovic could take his August shock against Moses Itauma, and that deal came with a catch: the winner fights the Cuban next. Hrgovic has tried to talk the agreement down while flirting with other options, but Warren made the running order clear.

Why the Homecoming Matters

Hrgovic grabbed the belt in dramatic fashion, stopping the previously unbeaten Itauma in the ninth round despite trailing badly on the cards. Itauma, 14-0 with 12 stoppages at the time and the division's hottest 20-something, was cruising until El Animal turned the night on its head. Warren likened the grind-then-detonate performance to some of Joe Joyce's fights, praising Hrgovic for soaking up punishment before landing the decisive blow.

The champion has since floated a rematch with Itauma and a unification with WBC titleholder Agit Kabayel, who sits at a perfect 27-0 (19 KO) after a third-round demolition of Damian Knyba. Both are bigger fights on paper. Neither is the one in front of him. The step-aside money has to be honoured first.

Sanchez Isn't Short on Confidence

The 26-1 Cuban isn't treating this as a formality. He says he's exercising his mandatory and expects to beat Hrgovic to become the first Cuban heavyweight champion. Sanchez insists he's faster and stronger, and that no heavyweight beats him when he's healthy — a reminder that his lone defeat came against a smaller field of complaints than his two-round knockout of Richard Torrez Jr suggests.

The lingering question is the venue. Hrgovic wants to fight in his hometown of Zagreb, but the 11,000-seat roofed Kranjceviceva Stadium won't be ready to host until March. With Sanchez eyeing a December or January date, that timeline doesn't line up — so expect the card to land somewhere else in Croatia while the paperwork gets sorted.