🥊 Sanchez vs Hrgovic: IBF Chaos Continues Final Eliminator Officialy! Things have turned into complete chaos in the IBF heavyweight division!
The IBF has ordered a heavyweight final eliminator between Frank Sanchez and Filip Hrgovic.
😵💫Back in September, Daniel Dubois defeated Anthony Joshua to become the champion and was set to defend his title against Joseph Parker.
The IBF has ordered a heavyweight final eliminator between Frank Sanchez and Filip Hrgovic, with the winner to be made the mandatory challenger for Daniel Dubois' world title.
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) April 16, 2025
Derek Chisora is currently the mandatory, with the position to be officially ordered on April 22nd. pic.twitter.com/b969WJdlta
💉 However, he had to withdraw due to illness. In his place, Martin Bakole was scheduled to face Efe Ajagba, but without even entering camp, he collapsed in the second round! 🧨
🗓️ Bakole vs Ajagba Revived on May 3rd, But IBF Says “No Prize” ⚡
The Bakole vs Ajagba fight is now back on the table as part of the Canelo Alvarez vs William Scull undercard on May 3rd.
But 💣 IBF has decided to pull the prize off the table! 🎁🚫
Instead, #6 Filip Hrgovic will face #4 Frank Sanchez in an officially sanctioned final eliminator! 👊👊
Sanchez vs Hrgovic Final Eliminator
⚖️ Is This Fair? Why Was Ajagba Punished? 😤
Frank Sanchez (25-1-0-18KOs) and Filip Hrgovic (18-1-0-14KOs) both struggled significantly in their most recent fights:
- 🔻 Sanchez was knocked down twice due to knee issues and stopped in the 7th round by Agit Kabayel.
- 🔻 Hrgovic went through a brutal 10-round war against Joe Joyce on April 5th. His face was left battered and unrecognizable. His conditioning issues from the Dubois fight remain a concern. 💨
🧓 First Comes Chisora! Then the Sanchez-Hrgovic Winner! 🏆
Despite the chaos, IBF is standing firm.
📌 The winner of Sanchez vs Hrgovic will become the mandatory challenger for Daniel Dubois’s IBF title.
🎯 But first in line is 41-year-old Derek Chisora!
He’s expected to face the winner of the Dubois vs Usyk II rematch later in 2025. 🧓🥊
If all goes to plan, the Sanchez-Hrgovic winner will get their title shot in early 2026—or in the worst case, by 2027. 📅✨
Sanchez vs Hrgovic Final Eliminator
🧠 GG Counter: IBF’s Credibility Takes a Hit
I’m genuinely curious to see how well-prepared Hrgovic will come out!
Before the Dubois fight, he boldly said:
🗣️ “I don’t need a long camp. One or two weeks is enough. I already sent him to hospital in sparring session.”
Probably… he might have been the one hospitalized after Dubois the fight. 😬
🎙️ He repeated the same arrogance before facing Joe Joyce:
“Joyce is as slow as fog. I’m not taking him seriously.”
Yet Joyce’s heavy and slow hands did real damage—and Hrgovic took the fight without proper preparation only because Dillian Whyte got injured.
📌 The truth is, neither Sanchez nor Hrgovic has done enough to earn a mandatory spot. Their recent performances lack wins against top-level opponents.
IBF’s decisions may be making things easier for certain popular fighters, but in doing so, they’re undermining the meaning of a mandatory challenger and damaging their own credibility. 🕳️
