Tim Tszyu will now be defending his WBO junior middleweight title against replacement opponent Sebastian Fundora, with the vacant WBC 154-lb belt also being on the line for their bout on March 30th, after Keith Thurman pulled out because of an injury on Prime PPV.
Fundora’s Cinderella Story
Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) is ranked #3 at 154, and had been scheduled to fight on the undercard against Serhii Bohachuk on the March 30th PBC event. With Thurman suffering a bicept injury, the 6’5 Fundora gets moved to the main event to challenge for Tszyu’s WBO title and battle for the vacant WBC strap as well.
Nicknamed’ The Towering Inferno,’ Fundora will be getting his first title shot as a professional in his eighth year in the pro ranks.
Many boxing fans gave up Fundora after his disappointing seventh round KO loss to Brian Mendoza last year in April in Carson, California.
That fight was a reality check for Fundora that he can’t continue to stand in front of his opponents at close range, giving up his height and just bomb away with them. He needs to learn how to use his height and reach in his favor, and we’ll see if he’s improved his game in the 11 months that he’s been inactive since his loss.
This is the equivalent of the 26-year-old Fundora hitting the boxing jackpot, getting an unexpected title shot against Tszyu, and a bigger payday than what he was previously going to be getting with his undercard bout against Bohachuk.
Fundora will be fighting for two belts at once and an opportunity to put himself in a position for a potential big-money fight against Terence Crawford if he’s victorious.
Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero is still locked in to defend his WBA light welterweight title against Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz for the co-feature slot on thie March 30th card at the T-Mobile Arena.