Frank Sanchez will have to keep looking.

Initially, it appeared Daniel Dubois had no problem taking on Sanchez in an IBF final eliminator. However, The Ring’s No. 5 heavyweight has decided to withdraw.

Dubois has been mum on the subject, but a spokesman from his promoter, Queensberry, told The Ring that his decision to withdraw was calculated.

From them, the eliminator held “little value.” Even if Dubois defeated Sanchez, he would still have to play the waiting game before getting a crack at Ring, IBF, WBA, and WBC heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

At the moment, the IBF is last in the queue. Meaning, Usyk’s next few defenses are slated to come against the No. 1 contender for the WBC and WBA. To add to that, Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) recently dropped his WBO title. That led to Fabio Wardley being elevated from interim champion to full titleholder.

Queensberry believes that going the IBF route would hinder Dubois’ options. He’s ranked second (WBC), fourth (WBO) and fifth (IBF).

Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs) was last seen on July 19 at Wembley Stadium. Although he scored three consecutive stoppages against Jarrell Miller, Anthony Joshua, and Filip Hrgovic, he was brutally KO’d by Usyk in the fifth round.

As for Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs), the hunt to find an opponent continues. Since losing to Agit Kabayel via seventh-round KO in May 2024, he’s bounced back, stopping Ramon Olivas Echeverria in the third round on February 22. The IBF ranks him third.