Frank Sanchez, the Cuban heavyweight boxer and mandatory challenger for the IBF title, reacted sharply to the statement made by newly crowned champion Filip Hrgovic, who publicly expressed that a fight against the Cuban was "uninteresting" to him. Sanchez, in turn, reminded that the International Boxing Federation has already made an official decision, and the Croatian is obliged to make his first defense against him. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing The Ring Magazine.
IBF Regulatory Decision and Deal Terms
The Cuban's key argument is the clear IBF regulatory decision. Earlier, Sanchez agreed to give up his right to a fight with Moses Itauma in exchange for retaining his status as mandatory challenger and a guaranteed bout against the winner. This is exactly how the current situation was built: Hrgovic won the belt by defeating the British Itauma by technical knockout in the ninth round, and received it under the obligation to make his first defense against Sanchez. "It doesn't matter what Hrgovic said. We have an official IBF decision that Hrgovic must make his next fight against me, with no other bouts, including unification fights," the Cuban emphasized.
Style, Experience, and Readiness to Fight Anywhere in the World
Sancheh acknowledges his opponent's strengths: the Croatian has a tough chin and a wealth of experience in professional boxing. At the same time, the Cuban is confident that his own style — aggressive and knockout-oriented — is a perfect match for a clash with Hrgovic. His readiness to fight at any venue underscores the seriousness of his intentions: Sanchez rules out neither the United States nor Saudi Arabia, where he has already stepped into the ring three times. "I want to get my chance to compete for the world title, and nothing will stop me. My trainer Eddie Reynoso has given me an excellent base. I felt great in my last fight and I am now ready to become a world champion," the boxer stated.
Drive to Make Boxing History
For Sanchez, this bout is not just another title defense in the rankings, but a chance to make history as the first heavyweight world champion born in Cuba. The training process under Eddie Reynoso, according to the boxer himself, has brought him to peak form. In professional boxing, the Cuban has 27 fights on his record: 26 wins, 19 of them by knockout, and a single loss — to Agit Kabaele in March 2024. Such a record underscores that Sanchez is a boxer whose main strength lies in the destructive power of his punches.
Contradictory Data
The provided materials contain a discrepancy in Frank Sanchez's age. In one paragraph of the source he is described as a "32-year-old Cuban" striving to make history, while in another he is referred to as a "33-year-old Sanchez" who has fought 27 bouts. The one-year difference may be due to part of the text being prepared before the boxer's birthday and part after it, or to a typesetting error. The exact date of birth and, consequently, his current age as of September 2, 2026, must be verified in official IBF data or specialized boxing databases before final publication.
