The IBF is willing to be a little more patient.

Initially, Richard Torrez and Frank Sanchez were given a deadline of December 17 to come to an agreement on an ordered IBF final eliminator. However, The Ring has been informed that both sides have been given an extension.

They will have until January 6 to sort things out. If they fail to come to terms, a purse bid will be ordered.

Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs) wants to prove that his loss to Agit Kabayel in May of last year was simply an off night. Sanchez was dropped twice before losing via seventh-round stoppage.

The normally slick Cuban, ranked No. 3 by the IBF, bounced back by beating Ramon Olivas Echeverria by third-round TKO in February.

Over the last few months, Moses Itauma, Efe Ajagba, and Filip Hrgovic all turned down offers to face Sanchez for various reasons.

Meanwhile, Torrez (14-0, 12 KKOs) has momentum. The 2020 Olympic Silver medalist is ranked No. 4 in the IBF. The 26-year-old hasn’t come close to losing a fight and spent this year claiming wins over Tomas Salek and Guido Vianello.