In a disastrous debut with new trainer Brian McIntyre, likeable heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr suffered a devastating knockout at the hands of Cuban Frank Sanchez on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven in front of the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
Torrez fell flat on his back after a numbing right uppercut in the second round from Sanchez, who was entering his first fight after a 15-month layoff.
This was a step up in competition for 2020 Olympic silver medallist Torrez in his 15th professional fight, but he was the bookies’ favourite to continue his winning streak towards a world title shot.
Sanchez (26-1, 19 KO’s) had other ideas.
Having only lost to highly rated German Agit Kabayel, Sanchez may have felt aggrieved to come in as the underdog and was quick to put things right.
Torrez (14-1, 12 KO’s) started well with his trademark busy bee style, making angles and not allowing Sanchez to set, but it all went south when he missed with a lead right. Sanchez countered with a right uppercut that caught Torrez flush on the side of the head, just behind the ear. The shot pinged Torrez’s head into his shoulder, and he fell flat on his back.
The referee was well within his rights to wave it off, but he started the count. To Torrez’s credit, he tried to get to his feet before stumbling over and removing any doubt that it was done.
Sanchez one step closer to IBF title fight
The fight was an IBF eliminator — for what it’s worth — so Sanchez joins the queue of Usyk’s challengers, and he did not disappoint, giving the now standard Usyk call out through his translator after the fight.
‘Usyk! We’re ready for you whenever you want.’
As for Torrez, it’s back to square one.
It’s a difficult line to tread when bringing a prospect through. At some stage, they need to show they are ready for world-class. Sink or swim, so to speak.
We see it now with UK fighters Moses Itauma and Ben Whittaker. Talents are doing what they need to do for the most part, but there will come a time when they need to step up. When and who is the conundrum?
It was perhaps time for Torrez.
He came up short this time, but at 26, he is young enough to brush himself off and come again, though this one will sting.
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