Moses Itauma-Filip Hrgovic winner must face Frank Sanchez by December

The winner of the vacant IBF heavyweight title fight between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic must face Frank Sanchez by December, the Cuban's manager has suggested.

Sanchez, 26-1 (19 KOs), had secured the No. 1 position in the IBF heavyweight rankings when he knocked out Richard Torrez Jnr in two rounds in May. Following Oleksandr Usyk's decision to relinquish three of his belts in June, the IBF ordered negotiations to begin between Sanchez and No. 3-ranked Itauma in regard to filling the championship position.

However, Itauma had already agreed to take on Croatia's Filip Hrgovic, ranked fourth by the IBF, on August 29 at London's O2 Arena. It was confirmed Tuesday that Itauma-Hrgovic will now be for the vacant title with the winner to face Sanchez, who was paid step aside money to wait in line.

"Frank Sanchez could have been next to fight for the IBF title," Mike Barao, Sanchez's manager, told The Ring.

"But he is is making a financially lucrative amount and calculated decision to fight the winner of Itauma vs. Hrgovic for the title in December instead."

Itauma is currently an overwhelming 1-to-7 favourite to beat Hrgovic.