IBF Orders Itauma To Begin Talks For Vacant Heavyweight Title Shot

The IBF’s directive, comes in the wake of Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to relinquish his IBF, WBA “super,” and WBC heavyweight belts last week. The Ukrainian two-time undisputed champion’s move has triggered a cascade of title reallocation across boxing’s major sanctioning bodies, with the IBF moving swiftly to establish a new champion from its top-ranked contenders.

Citing its championship rules, the IBF confirmed that it wants Sanchez, currently ranked number one in its heavyweight standings, to face Itauma, who holds the number three position. The governing body has given both camps until 29 July to reach a negotiated agreement. Should they fail to strike a deal, the fight could proceed to a purse bid, allowing outside promoters to secure the rights to stage the contest.

The 21-year-old Itauma, widely regarded as one of boxing’s most exciting young heavyweights, is already scheduled to face Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic at London’s O2 Arena on 29 August—a bout he has publicly described as his “toughest test to date.”

The IBF’s order now presents the British prospect with a significant strategic dilemma. He has three primary options: withdraw entirely from the Hrgovic fight to focus exclusively on the Sanchez title bout, proceed with the Hrgovic contest as planned and subsequently negotiate a date for Sanchez later in the year, or attempt to consolidate both fights into his upcoming schedule if timelines permit.

Itauma enters these negotiations on the back of a commanding performance in March, where he secured an impressive fifth-round stoppage victory over Jermaine Franklin at the Manchester Arena.

The win extended his unbeaten professional record and solidified his standing among the division’s elite, catching the attention of sanctioning bodies and fans alike.

While the IBF moves to crown a new champion, the WBC has already taken its own steps to fill the void left by Usyk’s departure. The organization has upgraded its interim champion, Germany’s Agit Kabayel, to full WBC heavyweight champion, bypassing the need for a vacant-title fight in that division. Usyk, who was originally required to face Kabayel after being granted an exemption to compete against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in May, is now entirely freed from mandatory obligations.

The Ukrainian superstar can now pursue any opponent of his choosing, with speculation already mounting over potential blockbuster matchups later in the year.

For Itauma, the IBF order represents both an extraordinary opportunity and a formidable challenge. A victory over the seasoned Cuban Sanchez—who boasts a professional record of 26-1 with 18 knockouts—would crown the 21-year-old as a world champion at an age when most heavyweights are still climbing the rankings.

However, Sanchez’s elite-level experience and defensive sophistication make him a dangerous obstacle for any contender, let alone a fighter still in his early twenties.

Boxing observers will now watch closely as both camps navigate the negotiation window, with the heavyweight division’s ever-shifting landscape poised for another seismic shift.