The IBF has told Britain’s Moses Itauma to meet with Cuba’s Frank Sanchez to talk about fighting for the vacant heavyweight title, Yankee Scores reports.
Oleksandr Usyk vacated his IBF, WBA ‘super’ and WBC belts last week.
The IBF said it wanted Sanchez, who is the IBF’s number one in the heavyweight rankings, to take on number three contender Itauma “in accordance with IBF championship rules”
IBF ORDER ITAUMA VS SANCHEZ FOR VACANT TITLE ‼️
The IBF has ordered Moses Itauma to fight Frank Sanchez for their vacant heavyweight title with negotiations to begin immediately and to conclude on July 29th 🥊
This is DESPITE the fact Itauma is already scheduled to fight Filip… pic.twitter.com/YATOuIhDy6
— IFL TV (@IFLTV) July 1, 2026
It said they have until July 29 to reach an agreement.
The August 29 O2 Conflict
Itauma, 21, faces Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic at London’s O2 Arena on 29 August in what has been described as his “toughest fight”.
He could pull out of the Hrgovic fight or agree to fight Sanchez after that fight.
BBC Sport has asked Itauma’s promoter Queensberry for a response.
Itauma scored an impressive fifth-round stoppage of Jermaine Franklin in Manchester in March.
The IBF wants to set up a fight for the vacant title, but the WBC promoted interim champion Agit Kabayel to champion when Usyk vacated its belt.
Usyk, a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion, had to fight German Kabayel after receiving an exemption to fight Rico Verhoeven in May, but now he is free to fight whoever he wants.
