WBC/WBO junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, says they’ll take the immediate rematch with former WBO champion Tim Tszyu next over a title defense against superstars against Errol Spence or Terence Crawford.
Lewkowicz states that they verbally agreed with Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) for a rematch and will honor that if he wants the immediate fight. That much is unclear at this point because he suffered a bad cut on the top of his head during his 12-round split decision loss to ‘The Towering Inferno’ Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Spence vs. Fundora: A Potential PBC Blockbuster
If Tszyu, 29, wants to heal up and/or take an interim fight between his rematch with Fundora, he can do that. However, Tszyu’s PBC management might want him to step aside temporarily to arrange a speedy fight between former unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. and Fundora.
That match would make both fighters loads of cold, hard sweet cash and bring good revenue to Premier Boxing Champions. Tszyu would be the ultimate team player if he chose to step aside for PBC to make a fight between Fundora and Spence or Crawford.
Stepping Aside for the Greater Good?
If Tszyu wants to do PBC a solid, he’ll step aside to allow Fundora to fight Spence or Crawford to make boatloads of cash for those fighters and the company.
This ain’t good news for Terence Crawford, the mandatory, who the WBO had ordered to begin negotiations today with Fundora. With Fundora fighting Tszyu in a rematch, Crawford will need to look in another direction for a fight unless he wants to continue to sit inactive, waiting for the smoke to clear from that clash and face the winner. What a waste of time, though.
The Power of a Verbal Agreement
“We were all so eager to make this fight that many of our agreements were made verbally. There wasn’t enough time,” said Lewkowicz. “But I wish to make it clear that Team Fundora will honor the agreement. My word is always equal to a signed contract. Tim Tszyu, your rematch is ready when you are.”
“It all depends on Tim Tszyu,” said Lewkowicz. “If he doesn’t take the rematch, we will take the WBO mandatory, or Spence, whatever the WBO says, but the first priority is the rematch with Tim Tszyu.”