Sebastian Fundora will probably be vacating his WBO 154-lb title as a substitute of defending it in opposition to necessary Xander Zayas. Fundora (21-1-1, 14 KO) will as a substitute defend his remaining WBC junior middleweight title in opposition to Tim Tszyu in a rematch this summer time. A handbag bid is scheduled for this Friday for Fundora and Zayas. That’s not occurring now.
Followers on social media are saying Fundora, 27, ducked Zayas as a result of it could have been a tough struggle for him resulting from his defensive model of combating. It is a enterprise transfer for Sebastian. He can earn more money from PPV gross sales from the Australian market, combating the previous WBO 154-lb champion Tszyu once more, than he can in opposition to Zayas.
Xander’s Probability Arises
Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs) will struggle #2 Jorge Garcia Perez (33-3, 26 KOs) for the vacant WBO 154-lb title. That’s a greater match-up for the Prime Rank-promoted Zayas, 22, than if he had been to have modified the 6’5 1/2″ Fundora for the belt.
It’s nonetheless not a stroll within the park as a result of Perez is coming off a 12-round break up determination win over Charles Conwell this month on April nineteenth. Prime Rank received’t thoughts if Zayas wins the vacant WBO belt in opposition to Jorge Perez as a substitute of Fundora. They’re making an attempt to show Zayas right into a star in New York and his native Puerto Rico, and he wants a title to validate him with the general public.
Lance Pugmire stories that the Fundora-Tszyu might happen on July nineteenth in Las Vegas. Nonetheless, it nonetheless must be confirmed.
Tszyu (25-2, 18 KOs) misplaced his WBO junior middleweight title to Fundora final 12 months by a 12-round break up determination on March thirtieth. He acquired a lower early within the struggle in spherical two, and couldn’t struggle by means of the blood to get the win.
After shedding to IBF 154-lb champion Bakhram Murtaliev by a third-round knockout on October nineteenth final 12 months, Tszyu bounced again with a fourth-round TKO win over Joey Spencer on April sixth in Australia.
The fighter lacking out for now’s Keith Thurman, who had hoped to struggle Tszyu subsequent in what was anticipated to be a profitable struggle in Sydney, Australia. Thurman, 36, must wait and hopefully keep busy combating different opposition. Given Thurman’s latest historical past, he’ll seemingly wait on the Tszyu payday.
