An interesting match-up has been ordered by the IBF at heavyweight. In fact, an interesting rematch has been ordered by the IBF at heavyweight. As per a news article from Sky Sports, Cuba’s Frank Sanchez and Nigeria’s Efe Ajagba have been ordered to meet in an elimination bout. Daniel Dubois currently holds the IBF heavyweight title as we know, but will this be the case after July 19, when Dubois fights his rematch with WBA/WBO/WBC heavyweight boss Oleksandr Usyk? Who knows.
But Sanchez, who was initially ordered by the folks at the IBF to fight Filip Hrgovic in an eliminator (Hrgovic is now fighting David Adeleye, this on August 16), will no doubt go into the Ajagba rematch confident that he will defeat him again. It was back in October 2021 when Sanchez dropped and decisioned Ajagba, the Cuban handing Ajagba his first and thus far sole pro loss.
Can Ajagba Rewrite History or Face Repeat Defeat?
Since then, Sanchez, 25-1(18) has gone 6-1, with the loss coming at the hands of Agit Kabayel, who stopped him in their May 2024 fight. Returning after that bad night, Sanchez won a return, tune-up style bout. As for Ajagba, who is currently 20-1-1(14) he is coming off a draw with Martin Bakole, this a fight more than a few fans felt he had actually won, the fight going all the way. Ajagba has gone 5-0-1 since the Sanchez decision loss.
Sanchez is the older man by a year here at age 32. So, will it be repeat or revenge in the return fight? Sanchez, speaking with Sky Sports, said he will be happy if the Ajagba rematch takes place on the massive Canelo-Crawford card in Las Vegas in September; Sanchez of course has the same trainer as Canelo in Eddy Reynoso.
“I have fought on Canelo’s undercard in the past. I don’t know where my fight with Ajagba will be, but of course, it would be even more special if it was on that card,” Sanchez said. “I aspire to be like Canelo, and Canelo versus Crawford is the biggest fight in boxing.”
Sanchez, who had to undergo knee surgery following the loss to Kabayel, stated that when he’s fully fit and is at his best, he can “beat anyone in the world.”
There is still time for Sanchez to reach the top, as there is still time for Ajagba to do so. Sanchez outboxed Ajagba for long periods in their first fight, but can he do so again this time?