Moses Itauma is on the verge of being offered an IBF final eliminator bout to become mandatory for undisputed heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.
The IBF had ordered Frank Sanchez to face Efe Ajagba in a rematch to fill the vacant No.1 spot in their rankings.
However, Ajagba has since pulled out.
According to esteemed boxing journalist Dan Rafael, Ajagba passed on the fight as he was unhappy with the purse bid result.
Sanchez’s promoter, Premier Boxing Champions, submitted a winning bid of $302,000 to beat the $210,000 offered by Top Rank, which represents Ajagba.
The terms of the bid laid out that the split would be 60-40 in Ajagba’s favour, meaning he was set to pocket $181,200.
Sanchez, on the other hand, would have banked $120,800 plus his minimum contracted purse with PBC, which would have boosted his payout significantly.
As a result of Ajagba’s withdrawal, the Nigerian Olympian will be dropped from the major sanctioning body’s top 15, while the IBF will move down its rankings to find another contender to face Sanchez.
The next highest-ranked fighter is Itauma, who occupies the No.5 spot.
If Itauma chooses not to take up the challenge, then the IBF will continue down the list until someone accepts.
Olympic silver medallist Richard Torrez Jr is ranked at No.6, while Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic sit below him in No.7 and No.8.
Will Moses Itauma accept the IBF eliminator?
It is not a foregone conclusion that Itauma will accept the call, as he has plenty of options on the table.
Ajagba has passed on an eliminator with SanchezGettyThe Chatham southpaw is currently ranked No.1 with the WBO and WBA, and his promoter Frank Warren recently declared that they are a week away from confirming a fight for December 13 in Manchester against a ‘top 10-ranked contender’.
That could be Sanchez, or it could be Jermaine Franklin, who Itauma’s handlers have expressed interest in as a potential dance partner as they look to get their man more rounds.
Itauma’s WBO and WBA rankings are likely to serve him better, as both are higher up in the sanctioning body rotation system.
Usyk became undisputed heavyweight champion for a second time by knocking out IBF champion Dubois in July.
As the IBF was the final belt to unify with the WBA, WBC and WBO, it is at the back of the line.
Who is Frank Sanchez?
Sanchez also presents a significant risk at this stage in Itauma’s development.
GettySanchez serves as a dangerous potential opponent for Itauma[/caption]The Miami-based Cuban suffered the first defeat of his professional career to Agit Kabayel last May, but has proved himself to be a dangerous contender in previous outings.
He dropped and outclassed Ajagba in October 2021 and also made light work of Junior Fa in December 2023.
A knee injury, which he carried into his stoppage loss to Kabayel, saw him sidelined for a stretch, although he did return to winning ways in February against Mexican journeyman Ramon Olivas Echeverria.
Sanchez is a very technically sound boxer who has the ability to mystify opponents.
He would make for a compelling matchup with the precocious Itauma, who looks like a heavyweight world champion in waiting already at 20 years old.
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