Frank Sanchez’s new path towards a title shot will involve an old foe.
BoxingScene has confirmed that the IBF has ordered a heavyweight title eliminator between Sanchez and Efe Ajagba. Their respective teams have been summoned to begin negotiations for a fight to determine the sanctioning body’s next mandatory challenger.
Ajagba, 20-1-1 (14 KOs), is the IBF’s No. 3 contender, one spot ahead of the No. 4-ranked Sanchez, 25-1 (18 KOs). Derek Chisora is No. 2 but has been rumored to next face interim WBO titlist Joseph Parker in a trilogy clash later this year. The No. 1 IBF slot is vacant and can be filled only by winning a final elimination contest.
Sanchez previously defeated Ajagba via unanimous decision in October 2021. Their potential rematch could lead to the winner challenging for the undisputed championship.
The current IBF heavyweight titlist is London’s Daniel Dubois, 22-2 (21 KOs), who is set to meet lineal and unified heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk, 23-0 (14 KOs), in a rematch for the undisputed crown July 19 at Wembley Stadium in London.
Sanchez, 25-1 (18 KOs), was previously in a holding pattern when the IBF ordered him to next face Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic, 18-1 (14 KOs). The matchup was put in play in April, but talks never advanced and the matter was sent to a purse bid hearing.
The session was twice delayed and eventually canceled outright when Hrgovic instead agreed to next face David Adeleye, 14-1 (13 KOs), on August 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ajagba, 20-1-1 (14 KOs), re-entered the mix even though he is coming off a draw in his previous outing. A 2016 Olympian for Nigeria (now based in the greater Houston area), Ajagba seemingly did enough to edge Martin Bakole in their May 3 meeting in Riyadh. Two of the three judges disagreed, which resulted in a majority draw.
Their bout was originally pegged as an IBF eliminator. Sanctioning was removed, however, when Bakole accepted a last-minute opportunity to challenge interim WBO titlist Joseph Parker. Bakole was stopped in the second round of their February 22 clash, though he and Ajagba agreed to move forward with lesser stakes.
Hrgovic’s refusal to move forward with a fight versus Sanchez opened the door for Ajagba to move within one win of title contention.
Ajagba also now has a chance to avenge his lone career defeat.
Sanchez’s win over Ajagba remains the highlight of his career, as he was stalled out of the title picture. He claimed five more wins before a hobbled version of the Miami-based Cuban suffered a seventh-round stoppage against Agit Kabayel on May 18 in Riyadh.
Sanchez rebounded with a confidence-restoring third-round knockout of Ramon Olivas on February 22 in Tijuana, Mexico.
Per IBF rules, Sanchez and Hrgovic are required to commit to the ordered eliminator to avoid losing their current top-five rankings. Failure to move forward would result in the offending party dropping out of the top 10 and no longer eligible to participate in an IBF-sanctioned fight for at least six months.
Additionally, neither boxer can accept another fight in the interim.
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on and .