Gabriela Fundora makes the flyweight limit quite comfortably.
The undisputed champion came in at 110¼ pounds for her 112-pound title fight against Alexas Kubicki on Saturday night in Indio, California. The ease with which she makes weight has convinced Fundora she could compete as a junior flyweight if she put her mind to it.
Oscar De La Hoya, whose company co-promotes Fundora (17-0, 9 KOs),
suggested following her domination of Canada’s Kubicki (13-2, 2 KOs) that moving up in weight, rather than dropping down to the 108-pound division would actually help Sebastian Fundora’s younger sister find the type of competition she seeks.
“Well look, I think for a fighter, it’s easier to go up obviously than to go down,” De La Hoya told DAZN’s Chris Mannix after Fundora stopped Kubicki in the seventh round. “But then again … if she goes up, she’s gonna face a lotta tough fighters who hit harder, who can take the punch, and who can give it. So, I don’t know.
“She might go down, depending on who wants to fight her because it’s very tough to get opponents for her. It’s very difficult because of how tall [5-foot-8] and lanky she is and how hard she hits. But I feel that if she goes up in weight, I think she can challenge herself and be a [two-division] world champion.”
De La Hoya didn’t mention specific opponents for Fundora, who owns The Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO flyweight titles.
Fundora, of Coachella, California, is ranked No. 6 on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list. Eighth-ranked
Yokasta Valle (33-3, 10 KOs), who is primarily a strawweight, is the only other boxer on The Ring’s list who has fought at flyweight or junior flyweight.
Fundora out-classed Kubicki in a fashion similar to how she handled most of her opponents. The sharp southpaw led 60-54 on each scorecard entering the seventh round, when referee Ray Corona stopped a one-sided fight
DAZN streamed from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
Kubicki, 22, had not lost by knockout as a pro prior to Saturday night. Fundora, 23, has won five of her past six bouts inside the distance.
“Another brilliant performance by Gabriela,” De La Hoya said. “You know, every time she comes out, anybody she fights, she’s either knocking them out, stopping them or [winning] a decisive decision. So, I really feel that she’s on her way. She’s young, learning, just growing. So, I strongly feel that give her a few more fights, and let me tell you, she will be No. 1, pound-for-pound, in the world.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing.