Frank Sanchez KOs Richard Torrez Jr. in IBF Eliminator in Egypt

Frank Sanchez delivered a stunning second round knockout of previously unbeaten Richard Torrez Jr. on Saturday night in an IBF heavyweight title eliminator at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, dramatically altering the landscape of the division.

Torrez, a 14-0 contender from California who entered as a favorite, started aggressively behind a southpaw left hand, backing Sanchez in the opening round. But early in the second round, Sanchez timed a perfectly placed right uppercut as Torrez stepped forward. The punch landed flush, dropping Torrez hard to the canvas. He attempted to get to his feet but stumbled, and the referee halted the fight at 55 seconds of the round.

The victory improved Sanchez to 26-1 with 19 knockouts and positioned him as the leading mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk’s IBF heavyweight title. Sanchez, who fights out of Florida under trainer Eddy Reynoso, had been rebuilding after a knockout loss to Agit Kabayel in 2024. The 32-year-old Cuban returned earlier this year with a stoppage win over Ramon Olivas Echeverria but still faced questions about his standing among top heavyweights. Saturday’s finish answered those questions emphatically.