Nigerian boxer Efe Ajagba will be seeking revenge against Cuban rival Frank Sanchez when both fighters meet in an IBF heavyweight title eliminator, with the winner set to become the mandatory challenger for current champion Daniel Dubois.
Although an official date is yet to be confirmed, there are strong indications that the bout could feature as an undercard in the highly anticipated Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford showdown on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The IBF has mandated Sanchez (27-25-1-1) to face Ajagba (22-20-1-1) in the eliminator, paving the way for a potential rematch of their 2021 clash.
In that bout, Sanchez handed the Nigerian his only professional defeat, dominating the Nigerian with superior movement and punch output to win by unanimous decision. Ajagba’s former Nigerian teammate Efetonor Apochi had said Ajagba should not have taken that fight. Since then, Ajagba has gone unbeaten in six fights, including a hard-fought majority draw against Martin Bakole.
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Derek Chisora was initially named the mandatory challenger for Dubois’ title, but the situation took a new turn after the IBF moved to designate a fight between Sanchez and Filip Hrgovic as the title eliminator. However, with Hrgovic (19-18-1) opting to face David Adeleye (15-14-1) on the Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte card scheduled for August 16, Ajagba stepped in to take his place.
Sanchez has expressed his readiness to face Ajagba again, regardless of the venue, but admits it would be special to fight on such a high-profile card.
“I don’t get involved in that side of the business,” Sanchez told Sky Sports. “I’ve fought on Canelo’s undercards before. I don’t know where the fight with Ajagba will take place, but it would definitely be more special if it’s on that card.”
While acknowledging Ajagba’s improvements since their first meeting, Sanchez remains confident of victory. He attributes his only professional loss—to Agit Kabayel—to an injury that has since been resolved.
“Ajagba has improved as a fighter. It won’t be easy, but when I am healthy, I can beat anyone in the world,” Sanchez added. “I will win against whoever the IBF puts in front of me for the No. 1 spot.”
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