Itauma declines IBF eliminator, targets December 13 Manchester return

Moses Itauma has declined an IBF heavyweight final eliminator against Frank Sanchez and will pursue a different path ahead of a scheduled December 13 return in Manchester, his team said. The 20-year-old unbeaten British heavyweight is focusing on alternative opponents as sanctioning-body negotiations move to the next available contenders.

Itauma, who turned professional in 2023 and has stopped 11 of his 13 opponents, including a first-round knockout of former title challenger Dillian Whyte in August, is widely regarded as one of the division's fastest-rising prospects. He is ranked number one by both the WBA and the WBO and sits inside the top five with the WBC and IBF. Team officials said they opted against the Sanchez eliminator because they prefer a different developmental route for the young fighter.

The IBF has responded by offering the eliminator to Richard Torrez Jr., the 26-year-old Olympic silver medalist, and has given Torrez's camp a short window to enter talks or decline. If Torrez passes, the IBF will continue down its ranked list to identify an available opponent. The move reflects the sanctioning body's effort to establish a mandatory challenger to undisputed...