Frank Sanchez delivered a stunning one-punch knockout to hand Richard Torrez Jr. his first professional loss on Saturday’s Usyk vs. Rico card.
Sanchez ended the IBF heavyweight title eliminator with a single uppercut that dropped Torrez hard to the canvas, prompting the stoppage just 55 seconds into the second round.
“I’ve been working the whole time in the gym with my great team,” Sanchez said after the fight. “I’m ready for whoever is next. I had to work a lot, he was a pressure fighter but I know I’m a great boxer and I can out box anyone when I’m on.”
Sanchez added that the decisive shot was no accident: “I was working on my trainer a lot. I was in the dressing room [throwing the uppercut] and it came through.”
Torrez entered the bout at 14-0 and was viewed as a potential title challenger after winning a silver medal at the 2020 Olympics. With the victory, Sanchez moves into position in the IBF heavyweight title picture currently headed by Oleksandr Usyk, who faces Rico Verhoeven in the main event of the same card.
