Daniel Dubois vs. Frank Sanchez - OFF

[Ruthless-RKO]

Daniel Dubois accepts IBF eliminator to face Frank Sanchez

The IBF have finally found a second heavyweight to take them up on an eliminator offer, as former titlist Daniel Dubois has accepted the eliminator to face Frank Sanchez, which would put the winner in line to face — as of now — Oleksandr Usyk, the undisputed champion of the division.

The IBF had received “no thanks” answers from this year from Filip Hrgovic, Efe Ajagba, and Moses Itauma, all of whom had been ordered at some point to face Sanchez. Dubois (22-3, 21 KO) is coming off of a fifth round knockout loss to Usyk in their July rematch, but is still a top contender.

Sanchez (25-1, 18 KO) has fought just once since he was battered by Agit Kabayel in 2024. His last bout came in February, a win in Tijuana over a sub-.500 journeyman opponent, which was for some reason good enough to see him rocketed back up the IBF ratings, because none of this is actually based much on logic or merit.

Sanchez is a very sound pro, though, and it’s worth nothing that Dubois, 28, will be going into a fight with a credible opponent while also taking on a new trainer, having parted ways with Don Charles. Trainer switches can be a good thing, sure, but even some successful mid-career shifts take a live fight or two to really gel, and Dubois is taking a risk with this move.

He’s also, more importantly to him, looking to seize an opportunity to put himself right back into the world title mix. A win would probably not lead to a third fight with Usyk, who at 38 is open that he’s entering the final stage of his career, and he is looking for the biggest money fights out there. If that comes with vacating one to four world title belts, you should expect him to do exactly that, and he will likely be hoping for bigger fights than a third tangle with Dubois, who had a claim to controversy in 2023 but was pretty much obliterated in the second meeting.

If Dubois were to beat Sanchez, you’d more likely see Usyk vacate the IBF title in 2026 than face Dubois again, and that surely goes for a Sanchez fight, too, if Sanchez beats Dubois. The winner of this fight, then, is at least as likely to be fighting for a spot in a vacant title bout next year.

Should the Sanchez fight goes the way of Dubois, then, it could very possibly be the second time that Dubois wins a world title after Usyk has vacated one. Usyk gave up the IBF belt in his first undisputed reign, because he was obliged to face Tyson Fury in a rematch. Dubois was elevated from interim to full IBF titleholder, and made a winning defense against Anthony Joshua in September 2024, prior to the rematch with Usyk this year.

Dubois and Sanchez have until October 22 to strike a deal, at which point the bout would go to purse bid.

[golden_labrador]

Dubois fights are always fun! great news. no idea what will happen here though

[gilgamesh]

If Dubois wins an IBF Eliminator and wins the vacant belt again because Usyk wouldn't kick his ass a 3rd time it'd be kinda funny.

[KiwiRider]

Neither of these guys should be in a final eliminator.
Dubois will probably win (I'd laugh if he lost) and there's a chance he could gifted a belt again.
How does Fwank do it?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Neither of these guys should be in a final eliminator.
Dubois will probably win (I'd laugh if he lost) and there's a chance he could gifted a belt again.
How does Fwank do it?

Well quite a number of opponents have said no.

It’s always the IBF.

[Perkin Warbeck]

Well, at least Dubois isn't retiring or taking a year off after his defeat, wallowing in self-pity like Tyson Fury.

Looks like it will be Itauma vs Hughie Fury in December. I'm not sure why Itauma avoided Sanchez, perhaps it was Fish Eyes that decided to have him avoid Sanchez.

[mickey1975]

Well, at least Dubois isn't retiring or taking a year off after his defeat, wallowing in self-pity like Tyson Fury.

Looks like it will be Itauma vs Hughie Fury in December. I'm not sure why Itauma avoided Sanchez, perhaps it was Fish Eyes that decided to have him avoid Sanchez.

I'd say Fury looks as happy as I've seen him at the minute. I don't think Itauma v Hughie will happen, either.

[1880496]

Very interesting. Time will tell

[gregregegg]

This is the perfect way back for DDD.

I think DDD smashes Sanchez. Then he is mando? Which won’t happen but then he will likely get a pretty decent vacant title shot…

Also what happened to chis? I thought he was ibf mandatory?

[joshj909]

Dubois getting another title shot would be ridiculous, even if you're a fan of his. Also, where does this say this is a final eliminator? Boxing publications and promoters often assume it's a final eliminator, but IBF almost always have eliminators before the final eliminator. Hopefully there's another eliminator. Neither guys would deserve the title shot with just one win.

That being said, if Sanchez has his leg back to its best, it wouldn't be inconceivable for him to frustrate Dubois all in an ugly points win.

[joshj909]

These are the IBF rankings. Chisora has said he will retire after his next fight, but if he wins it he would be facing the Dubois/Sanchez winner, so the IBF would.need to find an another eliminator. If there is no mandatory confirmed by the time the mandatory is called, the highest ranked boxer gets the mandatory, which could be these guys. If a replacement mandatory is called for Chisora, then Ajagba, Itauma and Torrez will be bypassed and we would be looking at Hrgovic, Anderson etc. It is possible that Itauma could have his fight called as an eliminator too if he has the right opponent, or perhaps if Chisora loses his fight, the guy that beats him could also take his slot.

Champion: Usyk
1. Vacant
2. Derek Chisora
3. Efe Ajagba
4. Frank Sanchez
5. Moses Itauma
6. Richard Torrez Jr
7. Daniel Dubois
8. Filip Hrgovic
9. Jared Anderson
10. Michael Hunter
11. Martin Bakole
12. Bakhodir Jalolov
13. Peter Kadiru
14. Lawrence Okolie
15. Guido Vianello

[Ruthless-RKO]

Champion: Usyk
1. Vacant
2. Derek Chisora
3. Efe Ajagba
4. Frank Sanchez
5. Moses Itauma
6. Richard Torrez Jr
7. Daniel Dubois
8. Filip Hrgovic
9. Jared Anderson
10. Michael Hunter
11. Martin Bakole
12. Bakhodir Jalolov
13. Peter Kadiru
14. Lawrence Okolie
15. Guido Vianello

If you decline an eliminator, or final eliminator, you should be dropped down the rankings. Clearly, they don't want to win a world title. It's the orgs fault for ranking boxers so highly at times.

They should push Sanchez to 3 and Dubois for 4 and move everyone down.

[joshj909]

Champion: Usyk
1. Vacant
2. Derek Chisora
3. Efe Ajagba
4. Frank Sanchez
5. Moses Itauma
6. Richard Torrez Jr
7. Daniel Dubois
8. Filip Hrgovic
9. Jared Anderson
10. Michael Hunter
11. Martin Bakole
12. Bakhodir Jalolov
13. Peter Kadiru
14. Lawrence Okolie
15. Guido Vianello

If you decline an eliminator, or final eliminator, you should be dropped down the rankings. Clearly, they don't want to win a world title. It's the orgs fault for ranking boxers so highly at times.

They should push Sanchez to 3 and Dubois for 4 and move everyone down.

I think generally they do but I assume it's not been updated yet

[KiwiRider]

I'm going with a pick for Sanchez to win a tedious decision - if his ankle injury is fully healed.
He might get jobbed on the cards though.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Frank Sanchez-Daniel Dubois IBF heavyweight final eliminator ordered

A former titleholder has answered the call to face the one heavyweight largely avoided by his divisional peers.

Boxing Scene has confirmed that former IBF heavyweight titlist Daniel Dubois and Frank Sanchez will move forward with an ordered final elimination contest. The two sides have until October 22 to reach terms, to avoid a purse bid hearing.

The development has to serve as a sigh of relief for Cuba’s Sanchez, 25-1 (18 KOs), who has literally spent all year watching multiple contenders pass on the opportunity.

London’s Dubois, 22-3 (21 KOs), entered the mix after unbeaten heavyweights Moses Itauma and Richard Torrez Jnr both declined offers presented by the IBF to enter negotiations with Sanchez.

The move comes on the heels of Dubois’ repeat knockout loss to Oleksandr Usyk in their July 19 rematch at Wembley Stadium. Dubois entered the fight as the reigning IBF titlist but conceded the strap to Usyk, who became a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion with the win.

Dubois claimed the IBF interim title in an eighth-round stoppage of unbeaten Filip Hrgovic last June 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was subsequently upgraded when Usyk agreed that the full version of the belt should be at stake for Dubois’ scheduled clash with countryman and former two-time unified titlist Anthony Joshua last September.

Their celebrated all-UK title fight saw Dubois demolish Joshua inside of five rounds to validate his title reign.

A win over Sanchez will position Dubois for either a third shot at Usyk or a chance to become a two-time IBF titlist should the Ukrainian southpaw vacate or even retire.

Sanchez has fought just once this year – a confidence-restoring second-round knockout this past February in Tijuana, Mexico. The bout came nine months after his lone career defeat, a seventh-round stoppage to Agit Kabayel in their WBC interim title fight last May 18 in Riyadh.

Sanchez was previously due to next face Efe Ajagba in what would have been a rematch to their October 2021 meeting. Sampson Lewkowicz, proud founder of Sampson Boxing, LLC, claimed promotional rights to the contest, but Ajagba was disappointed with his end of the purse split and opted to move on from the opportunity.

Sanchez defeated Ajagba via unanimous decision in their October 2021 meeting between unbeaten heavyweights on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard in Las Vegas.

The win didn’t bring him any closer to challenging for the main crown.

Sanchez has fought just seven times in the four years that have transpired, including the abovementioned defeat to Kabayel.

Sanchez was then stuck 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 canceled outright, once Hrgovic instead agreed to next face David Adeleye, 14-1 (13 KOs), whom he defeated on August 16 in Riyadh.

The decisions by the teams surrounding Itauma and Torrez to pass are in part due to both having bouts planned for later this year.

Itauma is due to headline a December 13 show but is without an opponent for the occasion. Torrez was tabbed to return on a Top Rank undercard-heavy November 15 show in San Luis Postol, Mexico.

[KiwiRider]

And we thought the Saudi money was going to cure us of these situations
Also- shame on Torrez and Adgaba for ducking this opportunity.
I'll give a pass to Itauma, but the hype train has definitely stalled if they won't even let him face Sanchez.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Purse bids for 13 November.

[jameswilson]

Dubois has had some heavy defeats but he could emerge as the top dog in 18 months - 2 years. By then the Usyk will have retired and the kind of scramble that we saw after Lennox Lewis retired will happen for 4 belts.

Having had the experience of fighting Usyk twice he will have an edge on a lot of these guys in terms of knowing how good you need to be.

I really hope he takes this Sanchez fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Frank Sanchez-Daniel Dubois IBF eliminator heads to Nov. 13 purse bid

Frank Sanchez will wait out yet another purse bid hearing.

Boxing Scene has confirmed that the IBF has scheduled a November 13 session to determine promotional rights for the ordered heavyweight title eliminator between Sanchez and Daniel Dubois. The development came about after the October 22 deadline passed without a deal reached between parties.

For now, London’s Dubois, 22-3 (21 KOs) – a former IBF heavyweight titlist - hasn’t yet bailed on the process. It’s a change of pace for Cuba’s Sanchez, 25-1 (18 KOs) who has wasted nearly all of 2025 watching one ordered opponent after another head in a different direction.

Dubois entered the mix after unbeaten heavyweights Moses Itauma and Richard Torrez Jnr both declined offers presented by the IBF to enter negotiations with Sanchez.

It was a bold move by the Brit, who is coming off a repeat knockout loss to Oleksandr Usyk in their July 19 rematch at Wembley Stadium. The setback ended Dubois’s year-long stay as IBF titleholder, while Ukraine’s Usyk, 24-0 (15 KOs) became a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion with the win.

Dubois claimed the IBF interim title in an eighth-round stoppage of unbeaten Filip Hrgovic last June 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was elevated in status after Usyk agreed that the full version of the belt should be at stake for Dubois’ scheduled clash with countryman and former two-time unified titlist Anthony Joshua last September.

Their celebrated all-UK title fight saw Dubois slaughter Joshua inside of five rounds to validate his title reign.

The idea behind an ordered Sanchez-Dubois clash is to establish a new IBF mandatory. However, there could be a wait – if Usyk even looks in this direction.

Next up in the rotation is the WBO, who has already summoned Usyk to enter talks with Fabio Wardley who claimed the sanctioning body’s interim title in an upset, come-from-behind stoppage of New Zealand’s Joseph Parker. Their October 25 clash came with the assurance that Usyk would be ordered to next face the winner.

Should Usyk decline to move forward with the fight, he will be relieved of the WBO title. It would then have to be determined between the WBA and WBC – both of whom presently have secondary titleholders – who is next in line, since the IBF mandatory was enforced last year.

Either way, Dubois could position himself for either a trilogy clash with Usyk or a shot at a potentially vacant IBF belt, should he defeat Sanchez.

On the other side of the equation, Sanchez aims to enter his first full title fight.

The closest he’s come to this stage was in a May 2024 stoppage defeat to Agit Kabayel for the WBC interim heavyweight title. Just one fight has followed, a 2nd round knockout over a walkover opponent in Tijuana, Mexico.

Sanchez was previously due to next face Efe Ajagba in what would have been a rematch to their October 2021 meeting. Sampson Lewkowicz’s Sampson Boxing won a prior purse bid, but Ajagba declined to move forward with the fight and the opportunity to avenge an October 2021 defeat.

Sanchez was then stuck 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 canceled outright, once Hrgovic instead agreed to next face David Adeleye, 14-1 (13 KOs), whom he defeated on August 16 in Riyadh.

Torrez passed to instead fight on November 15 in Mexico. Itauma was previously due to appear atop a December 13 Queensberry Promotions card that is now in shambles.

For now, Sanchez will hold his breath and hope for the best come purse bid time.

[keithmoonhangover]

Aren't Frank's knees gone?

[joshj909]

Aren't Frank's knees gone?

If they're gone then he doesn't stand a chance. If they're recovered then he definitely does. Dubois would need more than one win over Sanchez to be deserving on another title shot though.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Frank Sanchez vs. Daniel Dubois IBF Eliminator Heads To Purse Bids

Daniel Dubois wants another shot at world title gold, but before he's given that opportunity, he’ll need to get through Frank Sanchez.

Initially, the IBF ordered Moses Itauma and Richard Torrez to enter negotiations with the smooth-hitting Cuban. However, after both parties declined, the sanctioning body turned its attention to Dubois.

Although both teams were discussions, neither side reached an agreement by the October 22 deadline, forcing the IBF to step in. An official purse bid has been called and is scheduled for November 13.

If Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs) finds himself on the winning end of their potential matchup, that would put him in line to face The Ring and undisputed heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk, for a third time, though it's more likely he would get a shot at a vacant title.

The hard-hitting Londoner was stopped in the ninth round by Usyk in their 2022 contest. Dubois, though, to his credit, rebuilt himself thanks to wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua, picking up an IBF title in the process.

His time on top, however, was short-lived as Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) once again stopped him dead in his tracks. This time, the future Hall of Famer got it done in the fifth round of their July 19 bout.

Sanchez, on the other hand, has never fought for a world title. The 33-year-old contender had his championship plans derailed at the hands of Agit Kabayel in May 2024.

Since then, Sanchez has got himself back on track, but his third-round KO over Ramon Olivas Echeverria was more of a soft touch as the longtime journeyman lost six of his last seven heading into their February 22 bout.

Still, regardless of whether it’s Dubois or Sanchez, neither man is expected to get an immediate shot. The WBO is next in line in terms of Usyk’s mandatory obligations, leaving Fabio Wardley, the current WBO interim champion, as his likely next challenger.

[stujones]

Ok - a question that I surely know the answer too but someone elighten me.

So Daniel Dubios is ranked 7 by the IBF and Sanchez is 4.

This is a final eliminator which has not been pre agreed by any promoter - so this fight is not already signed.

So why are the IBF placing Dubios in the Final Eliminator and not Ejagba (number 3 with the IBF).

Why not Ejagba vs Sanchez to go to purse bids and if there is no interest, then see who might be interested. Why is Dubios in a position to overtake Ejagba?

[gilgamesh]

Ok - a question that I surely know the answer too but someone elighten me.

So Daniel Dubios is ranked 7 by the IBF and Sanchez is 4.

This is a final eliminator which has not been pre agreed by any promoter - so this fight is not already signed.

So why are the IBF placing Dubios in the Final Eliminator and not Ejagba (number 3 with the IBF).

Why not Ejagba vs Sanchez to go to purse bids and if there is no interest, then see who might be interested. Why is Dubios in a position to overtake Ejagba?

Clearly the IBF has a hard on for Dubois. Most likely because they're paid to.

[stujones]

Ok - a question that I surely know the answer too but someone elighten me.

So Daniel Dubios is ranked 7 by the IBF and Sanchez is 4.

This is a final eliminator which has not been pre agreed by any promoter - so this fight is not already signed.

So why are the IBF placing Dubios in the Final Eliminator and not Ejagba (number 3 with the IBF).

Why not Ejagba vs Sanchez to go to purse bids and if there is no interest, then see who might be interested. Why is Dubios in a position to overtake Ejagba?

Clearly the IBF has a hard on for Dubois. Most likely because they're paid to.

People mentioned Bakole being "screwed" for fighting Parker and then losing his eliminator status.... Ejagba looks to have been screwed three times - once by the IBF before finally fighting Bakole and then by the judges when they actually fought and now the IBF again.