Filip Hrgovic Eyes Rico Verhoeven Fight

IBF heavyweight champion Filip Hrgovic is exploring a potential fight against Rico Verhoeven on the December 11 Fury-Joshua undercard in Cardiff.

"He's mandatory but if he needs to make another step aside, if financially we agreed, I think we are open to do whatever we want. My ultimate goal is to unify," Hrgovic

Sanchez previously stepped aside once to allow Hrgovic's title-winning fight against Moses Itauma, but his team has indicated he won't accept a second step-aside deal, arguing IBF rules require the mandatory to happen first.

Verhoeven, a longtime kickboxing champion, impressed in his second pro boxing fight before being stopped in the 11th round by Oleksandr Usyk in May. Hrgovic says he'd be open to the Verhoeven fight if the financial terms line up.