Frank Sanchez is on the verge of a guaranteed world heavyweight title fight. He faces Richard Torrez Jnr in an IBF final eliminator this Saturday. The winner of that fight becomes the mandatory challenger for the IBF belt currently held by Oleksandr Usyk.
Sanchez Aims to Become Cuba’s First Heavyweight Champion
Sanchez vs Torrez Jr is on the undercard of Usyk’s fight against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in Giza, Egypt. There is uncertainty about whether Usyk will take on lucrative bouts instead of title defences. Sanchez aims to become Cuba’s first world heavyweight champion.
Sanchez’s manager Mike Borao is optimistic about his fighter’s chances of securing a shot at Usyk. Borao told Sky Sports that Usyk would welcome a fight with Frank, particularly with an impressive win. Borao noted that Usyk has six wins over Fury, Joshua, and Dubois, and he’s starting to run out of opponents.
Sanchez’s Preparation and единствен Defeat
Sanchez suffered his sole defeat against Agit Kabayel in 2024 while hampered by a knee injury. He has undergone stringent preparations for the Torrez Jr fight, under the tutelage of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s trainer. Borao expects a great performance from Frank this weekend. He added that Sanchez has the best coach, Eddy Reynoso, in his corner, and he’s worked extremely hard, with everything possible done to prepare.
Torrez Jr’s Unbeaten Record
Torrez Jr holds a destructive unbeaten record, which features 12 stoppages in his 14 victories. He is taking a major step up in class against Sanchez. For Sanchez it is a career-defining clash and an opportunity to enforce his chance to make history.
Borao stated that Frank’s focus is on getting past Torrez. Only after that can he think about the future and his goal of becoming the first Cuban heavyweight champion.