Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba gets a rematch against Frank Sanchez in an IBF final eliminator. Winner earns mandatory shot at Oleksandr Usyk’s undisputed title.
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has officially ordered a rematch between Nigerian heavyweight contender Efe Ajagba and Cuban fighter Frank Sanchez in a final title eliminator.
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A purse bid for the fight is scheduled for August 5 after both camps failed to reach an agreement during the negotiation period.
The winner of this bout will become the IBF mandatory challenger for the undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Ajagba (20-1-1, 14 KOs), ranked third by the IBF, is coming off a controversial majority draw against Martin Bakole in May.
Despite the result, Ajagba remains in contention due to Filip Hrgovic’s decision to pursue other fights, which opened the door for the Nigerian to move one win away from a world title shot.
Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs), ranked fourth, previously defeated Ajagba via unanimous decision in October 2021.
However, his career momentum stalled after suffering a knockout loss to Agit Kabayel in a WBC title eliminator last year.
Since then, Sanchez has recorded only one win—a third-round knockout victory in Mexico earlier this year.
The rematch not only offers Ajagba the chance to avenge the only defeat of his professional career but also sets the stage for a mandatory shot at the IBF title.
The title challenge, however, will likely be delayed as Usyk is already set to unify with WBO interim champion Joseph Parker.
Under IBF rules, both fighters must commit to the eliminator or risk being removed from the sanctioning body’s top rankings and ineligible for an IBF-sanctioned fight for at least six months.
If finalized, the bout promises high stakes and redemption for Ajagba, who represented Nigeria at the 2016 Olympics and now fights out of Houston, Texas.
