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Sebastian Fundora Runs It Back With Tim Tszyu: 'I Beat Him Clearly The First Time'
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Manouk Akopyan
Manouk Akopyan
RingMagazine.com
Sebastian Fundora Runs It Back With Tim Tszyu: 'I Beat Him Clearly The First Time'
LAS VEGAS — Sebastian Fundora feels like there shouldn't be any confusion about the victor in his fight against Tim Tszyu, a March 2024 bloodbath and 12-round split decision win that favored "The Towering Inferno."

Fundora (22-1-1, 14 KOs), the WBC junior middleweight champion, and Tszyu (25-2, 18 KOs) will square off in a sequel Saturday at MGM Grand to provide chief support to a PBC on Prime Video PPV card headlined by Manny Pacquiao's comeback at 46 against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios.

"I'm happy to fight Tszyu a second time. He's a great fighter. I'm happy to share another 12 rounds with him," Fundora told The Ring. "I think I beat him clearly the first time, and we have to do it again."

Their first encounter was marred by a nasty gash across Tszyu's forehead from the end of the second round. Although blood endlessly poured from the laceration, Tszyu still gave a solid account of himself to bust up Fundora and nearly take the fight on the scorecards.

Fundora was so adamant on facing his Australian rival Tszyu that he was fine getting stripped of his WBO belt instead of moving forward with a mandatory challenge against Xander Zayas.




"It's just the business of boxing," Fundora said. "It didn't bother me. I'll fight Zayas. We're going to have to fight eventually."

Fundora has only fought once since the Tszyu slugfest, a fourth-round stoppage win against Chordale Booker in March. Fundora was strung along for a potential matchup with former unified welterweight titleholder Errol Spence Jr. that never came to be last year.

"I don't get to pick my fights. That's my promoter's job," said Fundora. "One day it's this guy, the next day it's someone else. I just train and fight whoever they put me in against … In my last fight you saw a lot more adjustments and cleaner boxing. We're growing even more in this fight."

Tszyu, meanwhile, had his career upended even further following the Fundora fight when he was manhandled and stopped by Bakhram Murtazaliev inside three rounds in October. "The Soul Taker" Tszyu finally got back into the win column in April with a fourth-round stoppage himself against American contender Joey Spencer during a welcome homecoming.




"He looked good against Spencer. He did his thing, did great," said Fundora. "We've been training very hard. I expect a great fight. I don't see this rematch going the distance."

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring's lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan

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