Terence Crawford vs. Sebastian Fundora - WBO Ordered

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBO orders Terence Crawford to face Sebastian Fundora

Freshly crowned junior middleweight titleholder Terence Crawford has made a bold stroke in moving to become the first undisputed three-division champion in the four-belt era by invoking his right to meet new two-belt 154-pound titleholder Sebastian Fundora.

The World Boxing Organization on Wednesday ordered World Boxing Association belt holder Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) to meet Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), declaring that the sides have 30 days to strike an agreement or the bout will be sent to purse bid.

Crawford stands as the WBO’s interim 154-pound titleholder, and WBO in-house attorney Gustavo Olivieri said the organization is “enforcing its mandatory [bout], accordingly, to have only one champion per division.”

Should both sides agree to fight, the bout, Olivieri said, should occur by year’s end.

Crawford, a four-division champion who turns 37 on Sept. 28, has previously sought to parlay his Aug. 3 unanimous decision victory over former WBA titlist Israil Madrimov into a shot at unified super middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

Crawford, of Omaha, Nebraska, reportedly went as far as telling Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh that he was taking a Canelo-or-bust attitude after Alalshikh said he floated the idea of Crawford meeting unbeaten WBC interim junior middleweight belt holder Vergil Ortiz Jr. next.

Yet the prospect of meeting Fundora, 26, also proves tantalizing because the Coachella, California, product wears the WBC and WBO straps by virtue of his bloody March 30 split decision upset triumph over former WBO titleholder Tim Tszyu of Australia.

Tszyu is moving toward fighting for the remaining IBF 154-pound belt against Russia’s champion Bakhram Murtazaliev on Oct. 19 in Florida, and Tszyu has repeatedly maintained he is willing to fight anyone in the division.

Should Crawford become an undisputed three-division champion, he would join the great Henry Armstrong, who accomplished the feat in the 1930s.

After beating Tszyu by a narrow margin on the scorecards, Fundora was met in the ring that night by former three-belt welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr., who said he wanted Fundora next and was moving up to 154 pounds after his July 2023 destructive loss to Crawford.

While that fight is perceived as the easier one to make because of Fundora and Spence’s promotion by Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions, Fundora promoter Sampson Lewkowicz has told BS that Fundora wants to maintain his two belts and believes he can defeat the aging Crawford, who didn’t possess the typical knockout power he had displayed in the lighter weight classes when moving up in weight Aug. 3.

The WBO considers Crawford a “super” champion and has previously declared that if Fundora rejects fighting Crawford upon the “super” champion’s request, the WBO will strip Fundora of his belt.

If a Crawford-Fundora agreement can be struck, an interesting wrinkle will be where the fight takes place, because Lewkowicz said Fundora wants to fight in the U.S.

Crawford is strongly backed by Alalshikh, who has an awaiting date in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Dec. 21, a card headlined by unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch against former WBC titleholder Tyson Fury.

Yet PBC is holding dates in Las Vegas in November, and on Dec. 14 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

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WBO orders Terence Crawford to face Sebastian Fundora geometry dash breeze

Freshly crowned junior middleweight titleholder Terence Crawford has made a bold stroke in moving to become the first undisputed three-division champion in the four-belt era by invoking his right to meet new two-belt 154-pound titleholder Sebastian Fundora.

The World Boxing Organization on Wednesday ordered World Boxing Association belt holder Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) to meet Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), declaring that the sides have 30 days to strike an agreement or the bout will be sent to purse bid.

Crawford stands as the WBO’s interim 154-pound titleholder, and WBO in-house attorney Gustavo Olivieri said the organization is “enforcing its mandatory [bout], accordingly, to have only one champion per division.”

Should both sides agree to fight, the bout, Olivieri said, should occur by year’s end.

Crawford, a four-division champion who turns 37 on Sept. 28, has previously sought to parlay his Aug. 3 unanimous decision victory over former WBA titlist Israil Madrimov into a shot at unified super middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

Crawford, of Omaha, Nebraska, reportedly went as far as telling Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh that he was taking a Canelo-or-bust attitude after Alalshikh said he floated the idea of Crawford meeting unbeaten WBC interim junior middleweight belt holder Vergil Ortiz Jr. next.

Yet the prospect of meeting Fundora, 26, also proves tantalizing because the Coachella, California, product wears the WBC and WBO straps by virtue of his bloody March 30 split decision upset triumph over former WBO titleholder Tim Tszyu of Australia.

Tszyu is moving toward fighting for the remaining IBF 154-pound belt against Russia’s champion Bakhram Murtazaliev on Oct. 19 in Florida, and Tszyu has repeatedly maintained he is willing to fight anyone in the division.

Should Crawford become an undisputed three-division champion, he would join the great Henry Armstrong, who accomplished the feat in the 1930s.

After beating Tszyu by a narrow margin on the scorecards, Fundora was met in the ring that night by former three-belt welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr., who said he wanted Fundora next and was moving up to 154 pounds after his July 2023 destructive loss to Crawford.

While that fight is perceived as the easier one to make because of Fundora and Spence’s promotion by Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions, Fundora promoter Sampson Lewkowicz has told BS that Fundora wants to maintain his two belts and believes he can defeat the aging Crawford, who didn’t possess the typical knockout power he had displayed in the lighter weight classes when moving up in weight Aug. 3.

The WBO considers Crawford a “super” champion and has previously declared that if Fundora rejects fighting Crawford upon the “super” champion’s request, the WBO will strip Fundora of his belt.

If a Crawford-Fundora agreement can be struck, an interesting wrinkle will be where the fight takes place, because Lewkowicz said Fundora wants to fight in the U.S.

Crawford is strongly backed by Alalshikh, who has an awaiting date in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Dec. 21, a card headlined by unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch against former WBC titleholder Tyson Fury.

Yet PBC is holding dates in Las Vegas in November, and on Dec. 14 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

I like this matchup a lot but it seems like Bud has set his sight on a Canelo
pay-day exclusively. I hope Turki or someone convinces him its a mismatch and take on Fundora instead at 154 where he truly belongs.

[coneye]

I think he will go for Fundora , i really don't see this has too hard for Crawford , big difference in Tzyou and Terence

[robbydecker]

Was definitely excited to hear about this recently, on "BoxingEgo" YouTube channel.
Funny how I was suggesting this to be a good alternative to Crawford-Canelo, a few days before I heard about
Crawford-Fundora being the bout that they're going to go for.
I'm sure that Fundora is going to remain all for it. At the moment he seems very confident about his chances versus Crawford. Especially after seeing Crawford looking more like an ordinary Human versus Madrimov.

Ultimately it's going to be up to Crawford, if he decides to go with this Uniquely Challenging Bout, and opponent in Fundora, or decides to do something like demand an 80-20 with the bout-purse. So Lame if he does this, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least, if Crawford goes full on Greedy Belly/Purse Diva.
Obviously with Crawford, he's really seeming to be on his way to be going full-on into that Mode lately.
Its been Canelo or No-One, lately, but If its fully realized and accepted that That's not an option anymore, then yeah,
Get ready to hear Terrance's purse demands, pertaining to taking on Towering Inferno Fundora.
80-20 very likely. 90-10 wouldn't even be a big surprise.

[ace_of_clubs]

I'm probably in the minority but I like this fight. Not only would 3 of the 4 belts be on the line at Super Welterweight but this fight would be entertaining for sure. It would be interesting to see how Crawford handles the height of Fundora. Most boxing people are saying Crawford is only looking for the Canelo fight but this one right here is a good one. Plus whoever wins this if it happened could fight IBF champ next and be undisputed.

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBO have given a 10 day extension

[robbydecker]

I'm probably in the minority but I like this fight. Not only would 3 of the 4 belts be on the line at Super Welterweight but this fight would be entertaining for sure. It would be interesting to see how Crawford handles the height of Fundora. Most boxing people are saying Crawford is only looking for the Canelo fight but this one right here is a good one. Plus whoever wins this if it happened could fight IBF champ next and be undisputed.

I like this bout Alot as well.

I used to be very interested and intrigued about Crawford taking on Canelo, but that has changed significantly in more recent times.

I'd actually Much Rather see Crawford-Fundora, and if he beats Fundora, then Crawford taking on each of The Charlo Brothers would be Very Interesting.

I think that all three of these possible bouts are more interesting and appealing than Crawford versus Canelo.
I just think that they(All 3 opponents) make for better bouts, as well, overall.

Especially an intriguing bout versus Fundora. As you stated, seeing how Crawford would deal with the height discrepancy would be mesmerizing.

Versus each of the Charlo brothers would be more of a straightforward brawl, versus either one.
Versus Fundora will likely have more various fighting style elements involved.

I always felt cheated as a fan, being that Money Mayweather avoided Paul Williams.
Crawford-Fundora would certainly make up for that..!!