Keith Thurman says he’s going to awaken the dormant PTSD that WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora has in their fight on October 25 on PBC on pay-per-view on Prime Video. Thurman (31-1, 23 KOs) believes Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) has PTSD from his seventh-round knockout loss to Brian Mendoza two years ago.
(Credit: Lina Baker/Premier Boxing Champions)
“Fundora was never really on my radar, but he’s proven himself to be a tough champion with only one loss, just like me,” said Keith Thurman to the media at today’s kickoff press conference for his fight against Sebastian Fundora on October 25.
Of course, Fundora wasn’t on Thurman’s radar. The reason for that is that Thurman hasn’t been active enough for him to have targeted Fundora. ‘One Time’ has only fought four times in the last eight years since 2017.
Climbing Mt. Fundora
“I didn’t come this far to shy away from Everest, or in this case, Mt. Fundora. On October 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. I’m climbing that mountain. From childhood, I’ve dreamed of overcoming challenges like this. Call it David vs. Goliath, but remember – I’m Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman. I’m walking straight into the fire,” said Thurman.
Keith is going to need to engage more in this fight for him to have a chance of winning. Just using his hit-and-retreat method won’t be effective because Fundora will walk him down and unload with his heavy artillery.
“I’ve never been stopped in competition from amateurs to pro. He knows what it’s like to take a big punch, be down on a knee and not be able to stand back up,” said Thurman to the media about Fundora, referring to his seventh-round knockout loss to Brian Mendoza on April 8, 2023.
The movement that ‘One Time’ Thurman uses may be enough to prevent Fundora from wearing him down with his volume and stopping him. Keith is going to need to stay on the move, though, so as not to get trapped by Sebastian. I believe that Fundora is a much better fighter than anyone Thurman has fought during his 18-year pro career.
Will Fundora’s PTSD Return?
“Some of my confidence comes from the fact that I know he’s going through PTSD. All I’ve got to do is awaken it. The moment I get him, ‘Boom,’ every cell in his body is going to say, ‘Warning. Alert. Alert. Warning. Heavy hitter. Heavy hitter. What do we do?’ I’m just looking to put him back in that panic room and finish him off,” said Thurman about Fundora.
Thurman is going to need to raise his punch output and throw combinations for him to have a shot at awakening Fundora’s dormant PTSD, like he says. The way Thurman fought earlier this year against Brock Jarvis on March 12, 2025. That may not be good enough. Fundora handled the power of Erickson Lubin, Tim Tszyu x 2, and Carlos Ocampo. Those are all big punchers.
