Frank Sanchez vs. Filip Hrgovic - Who wins?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Filip Hrgovic Wants Big Paydays, Percentage Of PPVs

Filip Hrgovic facetiously apologized for costing those invested in Moses Itauma’s career “a lot of money” by knocking out the heavyweight they’d touted as the next big British boxing star Saturday night.

The newly crowned IBF champion is, of course, concerned more with the impact his huge upset victory will have on his own financial future.

“Next I want unifications,” Hrgovic told The Ring’s Louis Hart during an interview in his dressing room at O2 Arena. “I want big paydays. And I want a percentage from pay-per-view, because I saw this fight.”

Hrgovic, who won by ninth-round technical knockout, is contractually obliged to face Frank Sanchez next because the Cuban accepted a seven-figure step-aside fee that enabled this bout for the unclaimed IBF belt. Croatia’s Hrgovic suggested in the ring that Sanchez (26-1, 19 KOs) should accept another handsome sum to allow him to pursue title unification clashes.

Oleksandr Usyk still owns The Ring belt, but the former fully unified champion no longer owns crowns from the sanctioning bodies. Murat Gassiev holds the WBA belt, Agit Kabayel is the WBC champ and Daniel Dubois is the WBO titleholder.

London’s Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) is the only opponent to defeat Hrgovic (21-1, 16 KOs), who he stopped in the eighth round due to cuts over both of his eyes in June 2024 to win the IBF interim championship.

Itauma (14-1, 12 KOs) couldn’t finish Hrgovic, even though the southpaw from Kent recorded a flash knockdown during the second round and landed numerous flush punches on the durable underdog. Hrgovic never stopped believing he would win in a main event DAZN streamed globally, in part because the 2016 Olympic silver medalist realized Itauma grew tired the deeper into their scheduled 12-round fight they went.

“I saw he was gassing out,” Hrgovic said. “He was throwing a lot of punches, he was breathing hard. Since [the] first round he was breathing hard and I saw he’s gassing out, and I knew I need to stay there and to try to knock him out in [the] late rounds, when he gas out, and that’s what I did.”

Hrgovic gave Itauma credit for his superior speed and admitted the 21-year-old was better than he expected. Hrgovic, 34, also recognized that he was losing their fight decisively before Itauma faded.

“I shook up the world,” he said. “I shook up the world. I came to his hometown, against all odds. Everyone thought he gonna knock me out in a few rounds and he was the most talented guy in the division, everyone was avoiding him. And I just had that belief in myself that I gonna beat him. Since we started, since this fight was offered to me, I just believed. I didn’t know how, I just believed I gonna beat him.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

'Unifications are important': Hrgovic hopes Sanchez will wait again

Newly crowned IBF heavyweight world champion Filip Hrgovic isn't satisfied holding one piece of hardware after producing a ninth-round stoppage win over Moses Itauma on Saturday.

Instead, the experienced Croatian wants them all. At 34 and with time ticking on an extensive career spanning more than 20 years, Hrgovic directly called for revenge against WBO beltholder Daniel Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs).

Dubois, a former teenage sparring partner, inflicted Hrgovic's first professional loss in June 2024 after their bruising battle was stopped having sustained deep cuts over both eyes eight rounds into a pulsating affair.

He was ringside and relatively unsurprised at the outcome.

"Experience came through and the better man won," Dubois told Eze Obasi.

"[Itauma] took the fight believing they could win. He'll come again. Hrgovic is a tough cookie. You've got to really break him down. I'll be ready for him [again]. It's exciting."

The new champion referenced humiliation he felt in the aftermath as a key reason he considered retiring from the sport altogether, though he was motivated to try and achieve his goal one final time after the birth of his daughter.

Dubois' immediate rematch with Fabio Wardley was made official hours earlier in that very ring for October 17 at London's O2 Arena. Hrgovic also called to unify with WBC heavyweight titleholder Agit Kabayel (27-0, 19 KOs), who congratulated him in the ring and doubled down on a desire to fight anyone should the opportunity arise.

"I want this guy right here, Dubois, unification. If [Kabayel] wins his next fight ... I want him. Frank Sanchez will wait, get another step-aside, make money without fighting and everyone's happy," Hrgovic said when asked about what's next.

Cuba's Sanchez (26-1, 19 KOs) is the IBF's mandatory challenger after his second-round stoppage of Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez on the Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven undercard May 23.

The 34-year-old was reportedly paid a seven-figure step-aside fee to allow Itauma-Hrgovic for a vacant world title following news Oleksandr Usyk relinquished his sanctioning body titles in June.

"There's an obligation [to fight Sanchez next], but if we can work it out, we will," Warren responded before Kabayel praised Hrgovic for a "perfect" performance.

"This year, why not? I'm ready, I'll fight everyone, Kurdish fight with Croatian power ... let's go," Kabayel said.
He hasn't featured since stopping Damian Knyba in three rounds on January 10 in Oberhausen, Germany. During the DAZN broadcast, the 33-year-old said there's hope to have a fight announcement next week.
It's expected he will return to Germany for a maiden title defense against Albania's Nelson Hysa (25-0, 23 KOs), who stopped unbeaten Norwegian Thomas Narmo in two rounds before a heated exchange with Kabayel ringside.

Hrgovic, who'll need to heal and recuperate after contrasting stoppage wins against Brits following consecutive training camps, asked Warren if he could have a Croatian homecoming.

"We will do our best to make it happen. You deserve it as the champion, well done," Warren said.

"Against all odds ... coming in London against the most talented young guy in the world, a killer southpaw, they call him the new Mike Tyson, 34 years [old] and making this [world title win] is incredible."

[gp.]

I don't understand what the bafflement is for.

It's clear what the IBF do. They will say whatever they need to say to anyone who is fighting in order to get a fee out of them. That's it. That's all they care about. If that means they have 123 mandatory challengers so be it. That means far more to them than recognising the best boxers in the world. As far as they are concerned if the best boxers in the world aren't paying them fees, they can fornicate off.

As long as it works, they will keep doing it.

[gregregegg]

The wheels will fall off for hrg soon. Can’t take shots like that forever. I just hope it’s not vs Sanchez..

[Ruthless-RKO]

SANCHEZ EXPECTS HRGOVIC NEXT; NOT SHOCKED ITAUMA 'CRASHED'

Frank Sanchez is the second biggest winner from Saturday’s IBF heavyweight title fight between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic.

Sanchez, the IBF’s mandatory challenger, agreed to a handsome step-aside fee in June and greenlit the fight to be contested for the vacant title after the sanctioning body ordered a bout between Sanchez and Itauma weeks after Itauma-Hrgovic was already announced.

Sanchez is now guaranteed to next face Hrgovic in a battle between 34-year-old veterans.

Itauma was a 9-1 favorite to beat Hrgovic and proved why over the first eight rounds. The 21-year-old phenom sliced, diced and even dropped his rival before running out of gas in the ninth to get stopped in his tracks at O2 Arena in London.

Sanchez (26-1, 19 KOs), The Ring’s No. 7 contender for Oleksandr Usyk’s title, can now move on to what appears to be a more winnable fight against Hrgovic (21-1, 16 KOs) than Itauma (14-1, 12 KOs).

“I wasn’t surprised or shocked that Itauma crashed the way he did after dominating the entire fight,” Sanchez told The Ring through an interpreter. “My team and I were worried that he would lose to Hrgovic, and that concern proved true. Thirty rounds was too little experience to fight someone like Hrgovic or me. I don’t know what his team was thinking [to have him step up like that so soon], but Itauma’s time will come. He is a good fighter.

“You can see as early as the second round that Moses was working too hard and looking for the knockout. Hrgovic waited for the right moment, and it came in round nine. Congratulations to Filip Hrgovic and I will see him soon.”

Hrgovic, however, has other ideas. During his post-fight speech, the Croatian sensation stiff-armed Sanchez when the “The Cuban Flash” was brought up as his first title defense.

“Come on, man. What Frank Sanchez? I want a unification,” Hrgovic said. “I want unification fights against Daniel Dubois or Agit Kabayel. Frank Sanchez will wait. He’ll get another step-aside [fee]. He’ll make money without fighting, and everyone will be happy.”

Sanchez isn't worried that Hrgovic is using his newfound position as an owner of a heavyweight title as leverage to land a more desired fight.

“It doesn’t matter what Hrgovic said,” Sanchez said. “We have a resolution from the IBF that Hrgovic must fight me next, with no other bouts, including unification matches.”

Sanchez then went on to preview how his fight against Hrgovic would unfold.

“Hrgovic has a very good chin and great experience,” Sanchez said. “He is an Olympian and a champion for a reason, and he showed why he is one of the best in the world against Itauma. But styles make fights, and I think my style works well against Hrgovic. It will not be easy, but I think my speed, experience and athleticism will give me the edge against him.”

Hrgovic also mentioned he’d prefer to defend his title at home in Croatia. Sanchez is split on the idea.

“I will fight Hrgovic for my opportunity, anywhere,” Sanchez said. “Of course, I would prefer Las Vegas, New York or Miami, but I will fight him anywhere. I fought in Riyadh three times, and I fought around the world as an amateur, and I am ready to become the first Cuban heavyweight champion in history.”

Sanchez’s co-manager, Mike Borao, told The Ring that they are operating on a timeline of December or January to stage the fight between Hrgovic and Sanchez. The bout is also an incredibly unique one for Borao because he’ll be going up against his confidante, Keith Connolly, who handles Hrgovic.

“Keith Connolly is not only my partner who co-manages WBA welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez, but he’s a great friend of mine as well,” Borao said. “I don’t like going against Keith, but our guys fighting for the heavyweight championship is the only time I’ll be rooting against one of his guys to win.”

Sanchez, who starched Richard Torrez Jr. in the second round May 23 in Giza, Egypt, is ready to rise to the occasion against Hrgovic.

“I want my opportunity to challenge for the world title, and nothing will stop me from that,” Sanchez said. “My coach, Eddy Reynoso, has me in a good place fundamentally. I felt great in my last fight, and I am ready to become a world champion.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Moses Itauma is unlikely to receive an immediate rematch with Filip Hrgovic after his world heavyweight title defeat.

[Ruthless-RKO]

‘Frank Sanchez will hurt Filip Hrgovic in a way Itauma couldn’t’ says Sanchez's advisor

Cuba’s Frank Sanchez is entrenched in position to next meet new IBF heavyweight champion Filip Hrgovic, a bout Sanchez firmly intends to win.

Sanchez, 34, who trains under Canelo Alvarez’s longtime cornerman Eddy Reynoso, previously elevated to mandatory contender position to former top-ranked contender Moses Itauma before striking an agreement to wait and allow Croatia’s Hrgovic to fight Itauma Saturday in London.

In a stunning turn of events, England’s Itauma, 21, gassed out after sweeping the first eight rounds on two scorecards, and was stopped by Hrgovic in the ninth round.

“Frank called me during the fight to say, ‘Lupe, I’ll fight both of these guys,’” Sanchez’s advisor Guadalupe Valencia told Boxing Scene this week. “He saw that fight and knew neither of those guys can compete with him. And after the fight, he called to say, ‘You’ve gotta make that fight. I’ll fight tomorrow.’”

Valencia said Sanchez, 26-1 (19 KOs), is determined to meet Hrgovic 21-1 (16 KOs), who has only lost to former IBF beltholder and current WBO champion Daniel Dubois. Sanchez’s lone defeat is to WBC titlist Agit Kabayel.

“Now Frank is the mandatory for Hrgovic. We plan on enforcing it. We’ve already had discussions about it. It’s happening,” Valencia said. “There’s not going to be step-asides for no amount of money. He believes he can be world champion and wants to be world champion and [nothing] is going to interfere with that opportunity.

“He’s been fighting since he’s been nine years old for this opportunity, and I believe Hrgovic is the perfect style for Frank Sanchez.”

Sanchez is coming off a May 23 knockout of previously unbeaten U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jnr.

“Moses wasn’t strong enough to hurt Hrgovic in the first six or seven rounds. It’s a completely different story with Frank Sanchez,” Valencia said. “Frank has speed and big power.”

Proof was seen in the Torrez fight, when Reynoso spotted an exact opening after the first round. Sanchez delivered the precise combination, and the fight was over.

“If you look at his fights, he hits hard and knocks guys out. You tell him how long the fight is going, and he’ll be ready,” Valencia said.

“A veteran who’s been fighting his whole life, with Eddy Reynoso as his trainer. They’ve worked together for seven or eight years now, and Eddy Reynoso told me when I first brought Frank to him, ‘Lupe, I’m going to make Frank champion.’ And I think he’s going to deliver soon.”

Hrgovic trainer Abel Sanchez told BoxiungScene this week he’d prefer to let his cut champion heal and rest until the new year to fight again.

“Whatever it is – he’s got to get healthy and if it has to be in January, it’ll be January,” Valencia said. “But it definitely is the next fight, and I have every expectation Frank will be the next world champion.”

Valencia spoke at a media day for his WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia, who defends his belt September 12 in Las Vegas against Conor Benn of England.

“I’m going to have a heavyweight champion and a welterweight champion – the two most important divisions in boxing,” Valencia said.

[Eolaithe]

Frank Sánchez’s official age is listed as only 34, but the Cuban looks much older than that. I’m guessing he’s in his early forties.

He looked poor against Agit Kabayel and relied on a one-punch knockout to secure his second-round victory over Richard Torrez Jr., who is undersized for a heavyweight.

The Cuban, with a much older man’s face, a massive body and twig-like legs, didn’t really do much in the Torrez Jr. bout. He hardly threw any punches, apart from landing one massive, fight-ending counter right hook.

Filip Hrgović outworks, overwhelms and stops Frank Sánchez within eight rounds.

[Flump]

I fancy Hrgovic here, Sanchez is very ordinary.