Sebastian Fundora won more than just the vacant WBC interim 154-pound title last night. “The Towering Inferno” earned a shot at the Brian Castano-Jermell Charlo rematch winner (set to go next month; this a return of a great yet controversially scored battle, the draw seeing both men remaining as champions), while the 24-year-old may be collecting Fight of the Year accolades when the time comes.
Last night’s fight in Las Vegas was nothing short of awesome, with both men hitting the canvas, with relentless trading witnessed, and with a ton of heart and guts shown from both sides.
Improving to 19-0-1(13) Fundora truly earned the right to fight for the titles Charlo (the WBA/IBF/WBC/Ring Magazine ruler) and Castano (the WBO boss) hold between them.
And as great, at times truly incredible as last night’s Fundora TKO9 Lubin slugfest was, there could be more sizzling stuff to come when Fundora gets his shot.
Not only that, but there seems to be just about no way Charlo-Castano II is not an action affair, as their first meeting was. The 154-pound division is certainly buzzing right now, and with the almost freakishly tall Fundora doing his stuff there promises to be additional hot stuff to come. How good is Fundora? The 6’5.5” warrior passed a major gut check last night, and he said himself that Lubin, 24-2(17) – who went down hard in round two, only to score a knockdown of his own in the seventh – gave him his hardest fight yet.
By the end of the fight, stopped as it was by Lubin’s trainer Kevin Cunningham, Lubin’s battered face bore testimony to how hard Fundora can hit, and how relentlessly he can keep pumping out the leather. It was sensational stuff and whoever it is that wins out of Charlo and Castano (and let’s hope there is a winner this time round), he faces a mighty challenge. Interestingly, Fundora is picking Charlo to be “too strong” for Castano in the return fight, yet he says he is ready to fight either man.
Is Fundora future world champion material? Judging by last night’s epic fight, yeah, he is.
