Filip Hrgovic's next fight date and opponents revealed

After his sensational victory over Moses Itauma in London, the plans and return date for the new IBF heavyweight world champion, Croatian Filip Hrgovic, have been clarified. Mike Coppinger, a prominent insider for 'The Ring', revealed details from a conversation with the boxer's manager, Keith Connolly. According to him, the champion's next bout is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.

Ideal plan: A unification bout against the winner of Dubois vs. Wardley

The top priority for Hrgovic's camp is to unify the other heavyweight championship belts:

• Unification ambition: “I spoke in detail with Keith Connolly about Filip Hrgovic's plans. As an ideal scenario, Filip aims to go straight into a unification bout;

• Target opponent: The team wants to face the winner of the clash between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley on the path to becoming the undisputed champion,” noted Mike Coppinger.

IBF hurdle: The threat of Frank Sanchez and a big show in Croatia

However, the plans may face the strict regulations of the International Boxing Federation (IBF):

• Mandatory challenger: The dangerous, undefeated, and skilled Cuban boxer Frank Sanchez stands as the number one mandatory challenger in the IBF rankings. According to federation rules, the champion is required to first defend his belt against the official challenger;

• Return date: The team understands that they will most likely have to conduct a mandatory defense against Sanchez first. The bout in the first quarter of 2027 (January–March) is expected to take place;

• Championship night in his homeland: The insider noted that if Frank Sanchez is officially confirmed as the opponent, there is a very high probability that this grandiose championship defense will be organized in Filip Hrgovic's homeland, Croatia.

Recall that last weekend, in an intense fight in London, Filip Hrgovic defeated promising British star Moses Itauma by technical knockout in the ninth round to capture the IBF world title.

Which path do you think is right for Hrgovic: a mandatory defense against Frank Sanchez first, or a direct fight for the undisputed title against the winner of Dubois vs. Wardley? Can Hrgovic lead this division for many years? Leave your thoughts in the comments!