Richard Torrez Jr’s road to an IBF heavyweight title shot has been delayed after Frank Sanchez suffered a knee injury that forced their scheduled eliminator from the March 28 card in Las Vegas. The fight has been positioned as a key step up in the IBF rankings, with the winner expected to move into mandatory challenger territory.
CEO Carl Moretti confirmed that Torrez will not remain on the Fundora-Thurman card at the MGM Grand after the elimination is removed. The bout was scheduled to open the pay-per-view broadcast, but the focus is now on finding a new date once Sanchez can return to training.
Dan Rafael reported that the fight is now targeted for May 30 on the undercard of a proposed Devin Haney vs. Rolando Romero card. That event has not yet been finalized, leaving the heavyweight eliminator dependent on both Sanchez’s recovery and confirmation of the planned show.
Torrez (14-0, 12 KOs) last fought in November, stopping Tomas Salek in the opening round in Mexico. The 26-year-old southpaw from Tulare, Calif., turned pro in 2022 after winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics and has moved quickly through the rankings since signing with Top Rank.
Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs) has been dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. The 33-year-old Cuban heavyweight underwent arthroscopic surgery in June 2024 following damage sustained at the time of his seventh-round knockout loss to Agit Kabayel earlier that year.
The injury comes during a long stretch of inactivity for Sanchez, who has fought just once since the Kabayel defeat, stopping Ramon Olivas Echeverria in three rounds in February 2025.
The May target date does not guarantee that the switcher will move forward smoothly. Sanchez has only fought once since undergoing knee surgery in 2024, and the same joint is now re-inflamed during training. If the injury prevents him from completing another camp, the IBF eliminator could face another delay, making Torrez wait even longer for the fight that could put him in mandatory position.
The delay leaves the IBF eliminator unresolved for now, with Torrez waiting for the opportunity that could move him closer to a title fight.
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Last updated on 2026/03/12 at 12:07
