IBF Champion Hrgovic Expected to Face Sanchez in Croatia

IBF heavyweight champion Filip Hrgovic is expected to face mandatory Frank Sanchez in Croatia early next year rather than pursue a rematch with Daniel Dubois, manager Keith Connolly said. Connolly stated that Hrgovic would prefer to fight Dubois for a unification bout, but the team plans to fight Sanchez first to get it out of the way.

Connolly said the date will likely be later than January. “[We want] either the [Dubois] fight, or most probably the mandatory against Frank Sanchez next,” Connolly said.

The winner of the fight for the vacant IBF title was contractually obliged to face Frank Sanchez in his next bout. Keith Connolly expressed confidence that Hrgovic would overcome Sanchez, stating that Sanchez is not going to knock Hrgovic out.

Filip Hrgovic claimed the vacant IBF heavyweight title with a ninth-round stoppage of Moses Itauma in August. The IBF belt had been vacated by Oleksandr Usyk and was permitted to be up for grabs after No. 1 contender Frank Sanchez accepted a step-aside fee to allow Hrgovic and Itauma to contest the vacant title.

Daniel Dubois stopped Hrgovic on cuts when the pair last met in June 2024. Hrgovic was invited to the WBO heavyweight title fight between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley, which Dubois won in two rounds. Hrgovic squared up to Dubois after the fight and called for a rematch and unification bout in March.

Connolly confirmed that a fight between Hrgovic and Dubois would take place in the UK.

“We haven’t really talked about an exact date yet, but we’re currently talking to the Croatian government about when it would be,” Connolly said. Hrgovic’s promoter Frank Warren previously said plans are underway for the Croatian to defend his IBF title on home soil as early as January 2027.

Do you agree with Hrgovic facing Sanchez before a potential unification bout with Dubois, or would the reverse order work better?