UNBEATEN super-middleweight contenders Osleys Iglesias and Kevin Lele Sadjo are set to collide in a mouth-watering IBF elimination bout later this year.
The winner, in turn, will become the mandatory challenger for Canelo Alvarez’s red and gold strap, which changed hands following the Mexican’s points victory over William Scull earlier this month.
In any case, the IBF informed Boxing News just yesterday that a title eliminator at 168lbs, involving Iglesias and Sadjo, has now been accepted by both combatants.
Originally, hard-hitting Frenchman Sadjo, 24-0 (21 KOs), was ordered to lock horns with Christian Mbilli, who has since landed himself a WBC interim title fight against Maciej Sulecki.
But then, fourth-ranked contender Iglesias, 13-0 (12 KOs), emerged as a likely opponent for ‘The Punisher,’ with the pair being invited to accept their eliminator at the beginning of last month.
Between now and then, meanwhile, Iglesias had been rumoured to face British operator Mark Jeffers or, more recently, former world title challenger Vladimir Shishkin.
But while an official announcement is yet to appear, ‘El Tornado’ is now highly likely to square off against Sadjo, with a vote on their IBF purse split expected to take place before long.
A purse bid hearing should then follow soon after, as the two parties, it seems, have remained unable to reach an agreement.
As for the belt itself, a blockbuster showdown on September 12 will see undisputed king Alvarez put his IBF title, and indeed his undisputed crown, on the line against four-division champion Terence Crawford.
After that, the winner of Iglesias and Sadjo’s intriguing dustup should find themselves in a far stronger position, angling for their first shot at word honours.
