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 obligated 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.
