Hrgovic vs. Sanchez: IBF Orders Purse Bid

The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has officially scheduled a purse bid for the final heavyweight eliminator (over 90.7 kg) between Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic (18–1, 14 KOs) and Cuba’s Frank Sanchez (25–1, 17 KOs).

The bid is set for May 15, after both camps failed to reach an agreement within the allotted timeframe. Should either fighter refuse to participate, he will be removed from the IBF top 10 rankings and barred from competing in IBF-sanctioned bouts for six months.

The winner will earn the status of mandatory challenger to the IBF title currently held by Britain’s Daniel Dubois. Since Dubois is already committed to facing Oleksandr Usyk, Derek Chisora, though ranked No. 2, will not be elevated to mandatory status.

On April 5, Filip Hrgovic scored a unanimous decision win over Joe Joyce, bouncing back from his first career loss — a June 2024 defeat to Dubois.

Frank Sanchez last fought in February, stopping Ramon Echeverria via TKO in Round 3. Prior to that, in May 2024, Sanchez suffered his first loss at the hands of Agit Kabayel.