WBC junior middleweight champ Sebastian Fundora uses his reach and power to dismantle former welterweight champ Keith Thurman in a sixth round TKO Saturday night in Las Vegas.
WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Sebastian Fundora retained his title in a dominant TKO Saturday night of former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman. The bout headlined as the main event of a "PBC on Prime" Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Standing nearly 6’6”, Fundora, now 24-1-1, 16 KOs, has clearly established himself as the man to beat at 154 lb. And, in this one he added another top name to his resume' with the veteran Thurman, now 31-2, 23 KOs).
Fundora's height and reach was too much for Thurman, as has been the case with almost all of his other opponents at junior middleweight, as "The Towering Inferno" repeatedly landed straight right jabs and big left hooks behind them throughout the bout.
Thurman could never solve the reach problem by getting inside and the that was reflected in the Compubox stats that showed a 96 to 26 edge in shots landed in the 5 1/2 rounds.
The veteran's face began to redden and swell around both eyes and his forehead from the third round on and after taking several big shots in the fifth round, veteran championship referee Thomas Taylor took a long look at Thurman in his corner with the ringside physician present.
Thurman was allowed to continue, but Fundora connected with a couple of more solid lefts as the sixth round unfolded. Eventually, he caught Thurman with a glancing blow and Taylor jumped in between the fighters to end it. Thurman disagreed with the stoppage, but it was almost impossible to see any way he wasn't going to continue to take serious damage, if the fight was to have continued.
As for Fundora, the champ said in the ring post fight,
"We've been working very hard for this fight. I told him that I've always looked up to him. He's a Hall of Famer for sure. I take my hat off to him. That's why I had to train so hard to prove to the world that I'm the best at 154. I've fought in these high class fights that have allowed me to mature and grow. I've continued to strive for greatness and now I'm here.”
The win was Fundora's fourth straight title victory, after he was shocked in a one punch KO by Brian Mendoza in April of 2023.
Thurman, was gracious to Fundora in the ring post-fight,
“Sebastian definitely came in shape. He throws a lot of punches. The uppercut that caught me and cut me was an awkward punch that I've never been hit with before. The man brings it. He's a tremendous champion, and I can lift my head up high knowing I was defeated by a great young fighter."
But, then he turned his ire to the referee Taylor,
"The fight was getting really good,” said Thurman. “The fans were loving the action and the referee stopped the fight too early. They don't have the guts to let the fights go on like the Erik Morales days. He talked to me and said if I was moving my feet he wouldn't stop the fight. I wasn't on the ropes taking shots. It was very unfortunate to not give the fans a better show. Win, lose, or draw, I thought it was a little bit premature. I had more in me.”
Still, Taylor is the most respected championship referee currently in boxing and almost no one, besides Thurman, questioned the stoppage.
Back to the champion, who amazingly continues to make 154 lb. despite the 6'6" frame, he made clear he wants to stay in the divison,
"There's all kinds of big names I want to fight,” said Fundora. “154 is the best division right now. Whoever wants it next can get it.”
On the undercard and in the co-main evet former interim 154 lb. champion, Cuban Yoenis Tellez, 12-1, 8 KOs, scored a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over the aforementioned Mendoza, 23-5, 17 KOs, after 10 grueling rounds. Tellez was actually a victim of a broken nose on an accidental headbutt that sent him down for over a minute.
Tellez, however, regrouped and was the faster, better fighter over the 10 rounds for the win.
Now, he could be in play for a fight with Fundora later in 2026.