IBF Pushes Sanchez–Torrez Jr. Purse Bid to Jan. 27

The bout carries weight inside the division because the winner would become the IBF mandatory challenger for unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, though the timing of any mandatory obligation remains undefined.

Sanchez has been a difficult assignment to place. Several ranked heavyweights declined the opportunity earlier in the process, leaving the eliminator stalled for months. Torrez Jr. stayed in the process as other ranked heavyweights declined.

The 2020 Olympic silver medalist has made it clear he wants the fight and has not backed away as others did.

Torrez’s interest aligns with his style and career stage. He is young, applies steady pressure, and carries heavy hands. His most recent outing, a first round knockout win last November in Mexico, kept his momentum moving while the eliminator sat unresolved. The fight that brought him back into the queue was the same bout that initially forced him to pass on Sanchez last year.

For Sanchez, the situation has been quieter. He has not fought since last February, when he returned in a confidence restoring bout following his stoppage loss to Agit Kabayel in Riyadh. Since then, his path has been defined by delays rather than ring time.

Until the purse bid is either held or avoided by a late agreement, the eliminator remains theoretical. Torrez has shown willingness where others did not. Whether that resolve leads to an actual fight now rests with the clock rather than intent.