Sebastian Fundora vs. Chordale Booker | PRIME - March 22, 2025

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Who wins?

Poll runs till 24 Mar 2025, 02:32

Fundora - Decision
2
33%
Fundora - T/KO
3
50%
DRAW
0
No votes
Booker - T/KO
0
No votes
Booker - Decision
1
17%
 
Total votes: 6

Ruthless-RKO
Lightweight
Posts: 84817
Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59

Sebastian Fundora vs. Chordale Booker | PRIME - March 22, 2025

Post by Ruthless-RKO »

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Sebastian Fundora-Choredale Booker 'Nearly Finalized' For March 22 PBC On Prime Show At Las Vegas' Michelob Ultra Arena

Sebastian Fundora is finally within reach of a fight date and opponent for his first title defense.

The Ring has learned that Fundora is in advanced talks to defend his unified WBC and WBO junior middleweight belts against Chordale Booker. Once finalized, their scheduled 12-round title fight will headline a March 22 PBC on Prime show from Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

TGB Promotions has a hold on the venue, which is expected to be approved during the next Nevada State Athletic Commission monthly agenda hearing on Jan. 28 at state headquarters in Las Vegas.

The event will mark PBC’s second standalone non pay-per-view show since entering its deal with Prime Video. The Ring has additionally learned that Elijah Garcia (16-1, 13 KOs) and former title challenger Terrel Gausha (24-4-1, 12 KOs).

ESPN.com’s Mike Coppinger was the first to report Booker as the potential challenger for Fondura (21-1-1, 13 KOs), The Ring’s No. 4 junior middleweight contender.

The potential matchup puts an end to a months-long wait for Fundora, who was long rumored to next face former unified welterweight titlist Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs). The bout was teased as early as the post-fight interview for Fundora’s WBO/WBC title-winning split decision over Tim Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs at the time) last March 31 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Spence ultimately confirmed that he was no longer moving forward with the fight, though his placement was problematic all along. The fight was not going to be approved by the WBO, who cited Spence’s inactivity and entering off a July 2023 brutally one-sided knockout loss to Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs).

Booker (23-1, 11 KOs) fits the part in that regard, even if not the sexiest choice for a title challenger.

The 33-year-old southpaw from Stamford, Connecticut is ranked No. 5 at 154 by the WBO, which should clear a path for the fight to be sanctioned. Booker earned that top five placement on the strength of a six-fight winning streak. Five of the six wins have taken place at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, roughly 90 minutes from his hometown.

Booker’s lone defeat came in a shocking first-round knockout to Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams in their April 2022 meeting between unbeaten middleweight prospects on the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano undercard at Madison Square Garden in New York City. A move down to junior middleweight followed, which has attributed to Booker’s recent success.

Fundora will end a 51-week ring absence with the PBC on Prime headliner. His win over Tszyu headlined the maiden PBC on Prime PPV telecast, an opportunity that came on short notice. He was due to fight on the undercard before he agreed to replace Keith Thurman, who suffered a biceps injury and was forced to withdraw from his planned bout versus Tszyu.

Last edited by Ruthless-RKO on 22 Jan 2025, 03:57, edited 1 time in total.
Ruthless-RKO
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Posts: 84817
Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59

Re: Sebastian Fundora vs. Chordale Booker | PRIME - March 22, 2025

Post by Ruthless-RKO »

Sources: Sebastian Fundora, Chordale Booker finalizing fight

Unified junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora and Chordale Booker are finalizing a deal for a March fight in Las Vegas, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Fundora, who holds the WBC and WBO titles at 154 pounds, was slated to fight longtime former champion Errol Spence Jr. on March 29 in a PPV headliner. That matchup was originally planned for October before a series of delays postponed the fight and it was eventually scrapped last week.

Fundora (21-1-1, 14 KOs) won the titles last March when he defeated Tim Tszyu in a split decision upset in one of the year's best action fights. Fundora, who fights out of Southern California, accepted the assignment on 11 days' notice after Keith Thurman was injured.

Known as "The Towering Inferno," Fundora is 6-foot-5½ with an 80-inch reach. The 27-year-old is ranked No. 2 at 154 pounds by ESPN. Fundora and his sister Gabriela are the first brother and sister to be full-fledged champions in boxing history. She was named ESPN's 2024 Women's Fighter of the Year.

Booker (23-1, 11 KOs) has won six consecutive fights since a first-round KO loss to Ammo Williams in 2022. The 33-year-old, who fights out of Stamford, Connecticut, will be fighting for his first world title.
Ruthless-RKO
Lightweight
Posts: 84817
Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59

Re: Sebastian Fundora vs. Chordale Booker | PRIME - March 22, 2025

Post by Ruthless-RKO »

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what a sight!
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