Frank Sanchez Finessed High Stakes Payday, Breaks Down Itauma vs Hrgovic Fight

In modern parlance, the word "finesse" means to gain something by doing the least. In boxing, Frank Sanchez finessed a monster payday out of promoters.

Back in May, Sanchez starched Richard Torres, Jr. to become the mandatory challenger, earning himself a claim to an IBF heavyweight title fight. However, knowing that he would get his opportunity, he stepped aside and earned a handsome payout so Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic could meet for the IBF belt.

When Oleksandr Usyk vacated his titles, the division suddenly looked crowded. And while just an observer of the fight, Sanchez offered his insight into the title bout.

Praise for Itauma and Hrgovic

People often forget that Itauma is still just 21. Yet, with a resume of running through opponents, a title shot feels absolutely necessary. Sanchez praised the young British fighter in an interview with The Ring.

"Itauma is really good. He's very fast; he's very quick. Hrgovic also has many great attributes and a lot of experience. He punches hard. If Hrgovic wins, he needs to catch him and knock him out. Itauma has a very good skill set, and the main differentiator is his speed. I think speed can win fights, and I give Itauma a slight advantage because of it."

Sanchez, at 34, is finding his stride as a fighter. The winner of the Itauma vs. Hrgovic fight will face a fighter who believes he has the best traits of each athlete.

"My biggest advantage against Itauma, if he wins and I face him, is again going to be experience, and I could match him with speed. Maybe I'm even a little faster than him. And then on top of that, I just don't think he's going to be able to take my punches."

In essence, Sanchez wants to get the fight finished as soon as possible. What accelerates that is his pacing. Only eight of his 28 fights lasted more than six rounds. The statement raises questions about whether the Cuban standout's cardio will allow him to go deeper into the fight.

However. Sanchez's ability to fight in sustained bursts and his transferable speed mean he can handle the taller fighter. Ituama, by virtue of early knockouts, could be fatigued, making his defense lazy and his chin approachable.

Sanchez secured a paycheck for the opportunity to pursue an even larger financial reward. Finessing a system that works largely against non-champion fighters is a skill. Can he parlay that into capturing his first world title?

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