Cuban Frank Sanchez and American Richard Torrez Jr have reached an agreement. The two heavyweights will contest an IBF world title eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger to reigning world champion Oleksandr Usyk on March 28 in Las Vegas. The event will be promoted by PBC.
Frank Sanchez is 33 years old and has built a professional record of 25 wins and just one loss, with 18 knockouts. His most prestigious and significant victory dates back to 2021, when he convincingly outpointed dangerous Nigerian puncher Efe Ajagba, scoring a knockdown in the process.
The Cuban’s rise toward the top of the division suffered a major setback in May 2024, when at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena Sanchez was stopped by the relentless German heavyweight of Kurdish descent Agit Kabayel, who broke him down over seven rounds.
On that occasion, the Guantanamo native was unable to find answers to Kabayel’s suffocating pressure and was gradually drained by sustained body attacks. Since then, Sanchez has stepped into the ring only once, in February of last year, recording a routine win in a tune-up bout.
The 26-year-old Torrez Jr, on the other hand, remains undefeated as a professional, having won all 14 of his bouts to date. The former Olympic silver medalist has scored 12 knockouts, evidence of considerable power which, combined with his aggressive style and southpaw stance, makes him a very dangerous fighter.
Italian heavyweight Guido Vianello knows this well, having suffered a clear points defeat at the hands of Torrez in April 2025. On that occasion, the American was highly effective at slipping Vianello’s long-range punches while advancing, consistently forcing the action at close quarters and proving superior in inside fighting.
March 28 will therefore feature an intriguing clash of contrasting styles. Torrez will almost certainly take on the role of the aggressor, looking to cut off the ring and replicate what Kabayel accomplished, while Sanchez will aim to make his footwork work in his favor, keeping a safe distance and exploiting his superior reach.