IBF Pushes Sanchez–Torrez Jr. Purse Bid To Jan. 27

The bout carries weight contained in the division since the winner would turn out to be the IBF mandatory challenger for unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, though the timing of any mandatory obligation stays undefined.

Sanchez has been a difficult project to position. Several ranked heavyweights declined the chance earlier in the method, leaving the eliminator stalled for months. Torrez Jr. stayed in the method as other ranked heavyweights declined.

The 2020 Olympic silver medalist has made it clear he wants the fight and has not backed away as others did.

Torrez’s interest aligns together with his style and profession stage. He’s young, applies regular pressure, and carries heavy hands. His most up-to-date outing, a primary round knockout win last November in Mexico, kept his momentum moving while the eliminator sat unresolved. The fight that brought him back into the queue was the identical bout that originally forced him to pass on Sanchez last yr.

For Sanchez, the situation has been quieter. He has not fought since last February, when he returned in a confidence restoring bout following his stoppage loss to Agit Kabayel in Riyadh. Since then, his path has been defined by delays reasonably than ring time.

Until the purse bid is either held or avoided by a late agreement, the eliminator stays theoretical. Torrez has shown willingness where others didn’t. Whether that resolve results in an actual fight now rests with the clock reasonably than intent.