Fundora says Thurman is underestimating him before title fight

Sebastian Fundora believes he is being read wrong going into his fight with Keith Thurman, and that may be the part he is counting on most.

The WBC junior middleweight champion has heard the way this matchup is being talked about. Much of it focuses on Thurman’s experience and past wins, while Fundora is treated as the younger, less seasoned fighter despite years in the sport. That perception has stuck with him.

“I think he doesn’t think we’re mature enough to be in the ring with him,” Fundora said during a recent interview with Brian Custer. “I’ve been boxing my whole life as well.”

Fundora pointed to a wider view that he feels has followed him throughout his career. His height and awkward style brought attention quickly, but he believes that also led to people overlooking the work behind it.

“I think a lot of people think we just blasted on the scene because we’re tall and it just happened for us,” he said. “No. Rome wasn’t built in one day, and it’s the same thing for Sebastian Fundora.”

That frustration feeds directly into how he sees this fight. Thurman, a former unified champion, has built his reputation over a longer stretch and against established names. Fundora is coming in from a different place in his career, one that has not always been taken as seriously.

Still, Fundora is not dismissing what Thurman has done.  He said he expects the version of Thurman that defeated Danny Garcia, even if he is unsure whether that fighter can still be after long stretches between fights.

“I expect the best Thurman,” Fundora said. “Will we see it? I don’t know.”

The split between those two ideas sits at the center of the fight. Thurman’s experience is established, but Fundora is preparing for a version of him that may not match that memory. If Thurman is expecting a fighter who is still growing into the level, Fundora believes that is a mistake.

He has already started listing the names he wants after this, including Errol Spence Jr., Xander Zayas, and other titleholders at 154 pounds. The usual caution followed, but the direction was clear. Thurman is part of the plan, not the end of it.

For Fundora, the fight is not about proving he belongs. It is about correcting how he is being seen.