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

The bout carries weight within the division because the winner will become the IBF mandatory challenger for unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, although the timing of any mandatory commitment remains undetermined.

Sanchez has had a tough job. Several ranked heavyweights turned down the opportunity earlier in the process, stalling the takedown for several months. Torrez Jr. remained in the process as other heavyweights dropped in rankings.

The 2020 Olympic silver medalist made it clear he wanted to fight and didn’t back down like others did.

Torrez’s interest matches his style and career stage. He’s young, applies constant pressure, and has heavy hands. His last appearance, a first-round knockout win last November in Mexico, kept his momentum going while the elimination remained unresolved. The fight that put him back in the lineup was the same bout that initially forced him past Sanchez last year.

For Sanchez, the situation was calmer. He has not fought since last February, when he returned in a bout of regaining confidence after losing to Ajit Kabyle in Riyadh. From then on, his path was defined by delay rather than ring time.

Until the portfolio offer is suspended or avoided by a late agreement, the remover remains theoretical. Torrez has shown willingness where others have not. Whether this determination will lead to actual combat now rests on the clock rather than on intent.