Jared Anderson is set to receive an offer to rejuvenate his career in a final eliminator for a world heavyweight title fight.
The American contender had been heralded as a future champion after racking up 16 victories, featuring explosive knockouts, but he then suffered a shock stoppage loss to Martin Bakole last August.
Anderson has fought just once since then as he laboured to a points victory over Marios Kollias, but he is now next in line to be offered a fight against Frank Sanchez for the right to become IBF mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk.
Top Rank, who promote Anderson, have confirmed to SportNews that they would be open to the 26-year-old taking the bout against Sanchez after a string of IBF ranked contenders turned down the fight.
Daniel Dubois pulled out of a purse bid last week, while Efe Ajagba, Filip Hrgovic, Moses Itauma and Richard Torrez Jnr have all opted not to face Sanchez.
Cuba's Sanchez works with Eddy Reynoso, Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez's trainer, and holds a record of 25 victories, with 18 knockouts, and one defeat.
Anderson had earned praise from Tyson Fury after sparring with the British star ahead of the trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder.
"We have a guy who Tyson tells me, and a lot of people tell me, will be the next great heavyweight champion," Top Rank promoter Arum had told SportNews about Anderson.
"Talk to Tyson - he gives Tyson hell when they work out. He's a great sparring partner.
"Tyson said to me after the Wilder fight that he attributes a great deal of his success to sparring with Anderson."
Anderson had been linked with a fight against US rival Jarrell Miller in September, but the fight failed to materialise and he has been absent from the ring since February.
