IBF Orders Frank Sanchez vs Moses Itauma Talks
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The IBF has officially ordered negotiations between Frank Sanchez and Moses Itauma for the vacant heavyweight title, but Bakhodir Jalolov still looks like the more likely opponent for Sanchez, according to Bad Left Hook.
The order comes after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles, setting off a chain reaction across the division. The WBC has already bumped Agit Kabayel from interim to full champion, and the WBA reportedly may lean toward a separate vacant title fight despite recognizing Murat Gassiev. The IBF's move to order Sanchez-Itauma talks is its answer to the same vacancy, but Bad Left Hook reported that the pairing is unlikely to actually happen any time soon.
Why Moses Itauma Probably Won't Fight Frank Sanchez Next
Moses Itauma is tied up with a different fight already on the books, which makes the IBF's order largely procedural for now. According to Bad Left Hook, Itauma (14-0, 12 KOs) is set to face Filip Hrgovic on August 29 in London, a fight that takes precedence over any negotiation period the IBF hands down. Itauma currently sits at No. 3 in the IBF's heavyweight rankings, with the No. 2 spot vacant, while Frank Sanchez (26-1, 19 KOs) holds the No. 1 ranking after a dominant win over Richard Torrez Jr. in an IBF eliminator this past May. If Itauma passes on the order once his fight with Hrgovic is settled, the IBF would move down its rankings list, though Hrgovic himself sits at No. 4 and would be out of the running by virtue of fighting Itauma. Anthony Joshua, ranked No. 5, is also occupied, with a July 25 fight against Kristian Prenga that Bad Left Hook noted is being positioned as a lead-in to a future Joshua bout with Tyson Fury.
Why Bakhodir Jalolov Is Still the Most Likely Sanchez Opponent
Bakhodir Jalolov remains the more realistic next opponent for Frank Sanchez and the vacant IBF heavyweight title, according to Bad Left Hook's reporting, even with the Itauma order now on paper. The reasoning comes down to availability and timing. With Itauma committed to Hrgovic in August, Hrgovic himself out of position in the rankings, and Joshua focused on his own path toward a Fury fight, the door stays open for Jalolov to step in as the practical solution for the IBF's vacant belt. Bad Left Hook framed the Itauma order as a formality that the sanctioning body had to issue given the rankings, not a sign that fight is close to getting made.
Betting Angle
For bettors, the smart move right now is to treat Frank Sanchez vs Bakhodir Jalolov as the more probable fight to price up, not Sanchez vs Itauma. Sportsbooks and bettors tracking the heavyweight title picture should watch for Jalolov-Sanchez market activity before Itauma-Sanchez, since the IBF order is more bureaucratic housekeeping than a real step toward that fight happening. Sanchez enters this stretch with momentum after his eliminator win over Torrez, and that result should keep him priced as a live threat to whoever the IBF ultimately lines him up with. Itauma, meanwhile, is the more interesting long-term outright heavyweight title futures play given his unbeaten record and his immediate test against Hrgovic in August, but bettors shouldn't price him into a Sanchez fight market that isn't actually forming yet. Patience is the right approach here until the IBF's rankings shake out after the Itauma-Hrgovic and Joshua-Prenga results land.
The heavyweight title picture remains in flux following Usyk's vacancies, and the IBF's Sanchez-Itauma order is one more data point in a division still sorting itself out rather than a fight bettors should expect to see made soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the IBF order Frank Sanchez to fight Moses Itauma?
Yes, according to Bad Left Hook, the IBF has officially ordered negotiations between Frank Sanchez and Moses Itauma for the vacant heavyweight title.
Why might Frank Sanchez not fight Moses Itauma next?
Moses Itauma already has a fight scheduled against Filip Hrgovic on August 29 in London, which Bad Left Hook reports takes priority over the IBF's negotiation order with Frank Sanchez.
Who is the most likely opponent for Frank Sanchez's vacant IBF title fight?
Bakhodir Jalolov still looks like the most likely next opponent for Frank Sanchez, according to Bad Left Hook, given that other top-ranked contenders like Moses Itauma and Anthony Joshua are already committed to other fights.
