Frank Sanchez Targets Usyk Shot With Win Over Torrez Jnr

frank sanchez has one clear route to Oleksandr Usyk’s IBF title shot: beat Richard Torrez Jnr in Saturday’s final eliminator. The winner becomes the mandatory challenger for Usyk’s belt, putting the Cuban heavyweight a step from the first world-title opportunity of his career.

Sanchez Meets Torrez Jnr

The matchup lands on the undercard of Usyk’s fight against Rico Verhoeven in Giza, Egypt, and it carries immediate stakes. Sanchez is not just fighting for another win; he is fighting for the right to force the next move at the top of the division.

Mike Borao said Usyk would welcome the pairing after an impressive performance from Sanchez. He added that the champion has six wins over Fury, Joshua, and Dubois, and is starting to run out of opponents.

Borao Points to Usyk

Borao also described Torrez as a top, undefeated, relentless southpaw, the kind of opponent no one is looking past. Torrez brings 14 victories and 12 stoppages into the eliminator, which gives Sanchez a difficult test before any title talk begins.

That short path to the IBF belt is why this fight matters now. Sanchez’s focus, Borao said, is on getting past Torrez on May 23, and only after that can he think about the future and his goal of becoming the first Cuban heavyweight champion.

2024 Loss Still Lingers

The 39-year-old Sanchez has already taken one setback in the division. His sole defeat came against Agit Kabayel in 2024, when a knee injury slowed him, and he has since been preparing for Torrez under Eddy Reynoso.

That leaves Saturday as the cleanest measuring stick in his run toward a title chance. Win, and he moves into position to challenge Usyk directly for the IBF belt; lose, and the line to the champion shifts again.