Ermal Hadribeaj believes Sebastian Fundora’s opponents have helped the WBC light middleweight champion by running into his punches. The unbeaten mandatory challenger plans to avoid that mistake on October 17, although his promise to make the fight a war could test his discipline.
Hadribeaj challenges Fundora at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, with the PBC event airing on TNT and DAZN.
“Fundora has been one of my favorite fighters to watch in this division for a while,” Hadribeaj said in a PBC press release. “I’ve always thought that he really knows how to fight. But I always ask myself why his opponents choose their strategies and run into his punches. The opponents tend to get too caught up in their ego and try to compete with his height. I feel like they should just have been working on their stuff and not worry as much about what he’s doing.”
The 32-year-old has used Mykal Fox and Ollie Cooper in sparring, crediting Fox’s craft and Cooper’s pressure with helping him prepare. His camp has worked on movement and getting the distance right to avoid Fundora’s jab, crosses and uppercuts.
That approach sounds sensible. Making it work requires Hadribeaj to keep his composure when Fundora closes the distance and forces him to exchange. Moving away from the first attack doesn’t solve much if he gets trapped for the next one.
Hadribeaj also promises an exciting performance and a war. Those ambitions could clash with the patience needed to carry out his plan. If he starts trading to impress the crowd, he risks giving Fundora the opportunities he believes previous challengers handed him.
There is plenty of motivation. Hadribeaj hopes to become Albania’s first boxing world champion, having switched from MMA to boxing with trainer Donato Demartiis’ encouragement.
His confidence comes from the work he has put in. October 17 will show whether that preparation allows him to avoid the exchanges he criticizes—or whether Fundora’s pressure draws him into them.