By Jim Calfa: WBC interim junior middleweight champion Sebastian ‘The Towering Inferno’ Fundora wants an emphatic win against Brian Mendoza (21-2, 15 KOs) this Saturday, April 8th, on Showtime at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
After the lackluster performance that Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs) had in his last fight against Carlos Ocampo last October, it’s important that he return to his aggressive style of fighting.
Fundora fought like he was gunshy about getting hit with something hard by Ocampo. This is the same fighter that Errol Spence Jr knocked out in the first round, but Fundora was forced to go the full 12-round decision against him.
Fundora realizes now that he needs to win his fights impressively by being aggressive like he’d been doing in Fundora’s win over Erickson Lubin last April.
Fundora to be more aggressive
“We’ve been in this position before. We’re here to win, and we worked hard. We’re here to keep moving forward,” said Sebastian Fundora today during the final press conference.
Undercard fights:
Brandun Lee vs. Pedro Campa
Luis Reynaldo Nunez vs. Christian Olivo Barreda
Gabriel Mastre vs. Devon Alexander
Frank Sanchez vs. Daniel Martz
Gabriela Fundora vs. Maria Micheo Santizo
Chris Arreola vs. Matthew McKinney
Adrian Corona vs. Jerry Perez
Gabriel Garcia vs.Marco Diaz
Viktor Slavinskyi vs. Juan Antonio Lopez
Justin Viloria vs. Sidardious Smith
Federico Pacheco Jr vs. Filipe Torres
Dorian Mark Khan Jr vs. Ezra Rabin
“Me and my dad have been watching fights from a couple of years ago when I was a bit more aggressive and was taking guys out. Last time we went the distance and wanted to show more boxing, but this time we’re gonna show that new work.
“I’m getting older, and I’m getting stronger. The punches are coming in nicely, and I’m excited to showcase it on Saturday. I’m smarter, and I know how to place my punches a lot better now,” said Fundora.
“I never was the shorter fighter. I think at most, a kid was my height, but I was never the shorter fighter,” said the 6’5 1/2″ Fundora to K.O Artist Sports when asked if he’d ever fought anyone taller than him.
“Boxers shouldn’t have to punch down, but sometimes you have to punch down against a shorter fighter, but I can throw my punches at face length, and it’s perfect.
Fundora vs. Mendoza, how watch?
Fans can watch Fundora vs. Mendoza event on Showtime Championship Boxing at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT from the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.
“Right now, he’s on a hot streak. He knocked out a former world champion [Jeison Rosario],” said Fundora about his opponent Brian Mendoza. “It seems like a good fight, and we’re ready for whatever he brings on and go on from there.
“Sometimes I do get frustrated about it, but that’s why I have my father and my sister. They remind me that we’re on a good path and we’re doing everything right,” said Fundora when asked if he sometimes gets frustrated that he can’t get a title shot against undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo.
“It’ll come a time. Everything happens for a reason, and eventually, we’ll get our shot if everything goes right. You know what’s funny? In my last camp, we were going in a little more at weight at 162, 163, a little heavier. This camp, I woke up at 157,” said FFundora when asked if he’s thinking of moving up to middleweight soon.
“I went to Dennys and ate a Grand Slam. Pancakes and everything. It happens, I guess. Hopefully, we do move up, but before we do that, I want to win a world title, a complete WBC championship, and we’ll see from there.
“It was a good fight. I knew David was going to win, but I thought David was going to win in an even more explosive way, but there was a lot of questioning decisions in that fight,” said Fundora about David Benavidez’s win over Caleb Plant last month on March 25th.
“The ref is a good ref. Kenny Bayless is a great ref, but I don’t know what was happening that night, but it was a great fight, and we need more fights like that. Hopefully, I can show myself like that and get a good dance partner in the next couple of fights and with this one as well,” Fundora said.
What time is Fundora vs. Mendoza
The Fundora – Mendoza event begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT on Showtime Championship Boxing.
“In the next couple of fights, continue to get good dance partners and make boxing as explosive as it was before,” said Fundora.
“I guess he sees something that I don’t know in Ryan, but Ryan was fighting at 135 in the fight before that,” said Fundora when asked about his thoughts on the dehydration clause for the Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight on April 22nd.
“I don’t think he’s going to have a problem making that again. Even if you put a clause in there, it’s not really going to do nothing, but we’ll see. But I guess Davis’ team sees something like we said that might mess him up, but I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.
“I have Ryan. Southern California, we represent. That’s how it goes,” said Fundor when asked who he’s picking in the Tank Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight. If Ryan is going to win, he’s going to win by knockout.
“He’s strong, he’s fast, he’s got it. I hope so,” said Fundora when asked if Ryan will knockout Tank Davis with a left hook.
“Expect the best, Sebastian. We’ve been training very hard for this. We’re trying to line up a championship soon, so expect fireworks like always,” Fundora said when asked what can boxing fans expect to see on Saturday in his fight against Mendoza.
“My father did it, my mother did it, and my older brother did it,” said Fundora when asked why he turned to boxing. “I just had to fall in line. When you’re around something so much, you’re going to fall in love with it. That’s what really happened,” said Fundora.
