Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman | PBC PPV - March 28, 2026

[Ruthless-RKO]

Sebastian Fundora to defend against Keith Thurman on October 18

Sebastian Fundora has Keith Thurman to thank for being a champion. Now he’ll have the opportunity to express his gratitude in the ring.

Boxing Scene learned from two officials Wednesday that a verbal agreement is in place for Fundora, 23-1-1 (15 KOs), to defend his WBC junior middleweight title against former unified welterweight champion Thurman, 31-1 (23 KOs), on October 18 in Las Vegas.

Fundora, 27, was a late replacement for the injured Thurman, 36, in March 2024, and proceeded to capture the WBC and WBO belts by defeating Australia’s Tim Tszyu in a bloody split decision victory. Thurman withdrew from fighting champion Tszyu because of a biceps injury suffered in training.

Fundora repeated the victory over Tszyu by seventh-round TKO on July 19 after knocking him down in the first round and battering him with punches before Tszyu quit on his stool.

Thurman, the WBC’s No. 8-ranked contender, returned in March from a three-year layoff following a 2022 victory over current WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios and stopping Brock Jarvis by third-round TKO in Sydney.

Thurman’s lone loss came against Manny Pacquiao in 2019.

He attended Fundora’s victory over Tszyu and expressed interest in fighting the winner, but he speculated the 6ft 6ins Fundora wouldn’t return to the ring this year.

Minutes later, the triumphant Fundora insisted he would fight for a third time this year after successfully defending his belt in April with a fourth-round TKO of Chordale Booker.

The bout is being planned as a Prime Video pay-per-view card.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[MPW]

I have to admit, I didn't see this one coming, although it remains to be seen if Thurman actually makes it to the ring.

Still, I think there are far more deserving challengers: Ortiz Jr., Ramos Jr., Bohachuk, Tellez, Madrimov, Katzourakis, just to name a few. One would also think that Fundora would want to avenge that loss to Mendoza, although he hasn't fought in more than a year.

[Sendo Takeshi]

Fundora is kinda holding the titles hostage.

1. Defended against Booker.
2. Defended against Tszyu, who had just been dominated and knocked out two fights earlier, before winning a tune-up.
And now he’s fighting a guy who’s basically felt retired since 2017.

I mean, I’d still watch the fight depending on the timezone, but this division is basically on hold.
Bud is fighting Canelo, Bakhram fights maybe once a year, and the WBO title just got handed to a prospect.

[Ruthless-RKO]

SEBASTIAN FUNDORA-KEITH THURMAN WBC 154-POUND TITLE FIGHT SET FOR OCT. 25 IN LAS VEGAS

Sebastian Fundora and Keith Thurman have a deal in place to meet for Fundora’s WBC junior middleweight title on Oct. 25 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, a source told The Ring on Thursday.

The 154-pound title bout will headline a PBC on Prime PPV.

Thurman, 36, will look to become a two-division champion following a lengthy run as welterweight champion that ended in 2019.

That was when Thurman suffered the lone defeat of his professional career, a thrilling split-decision loss to the legendary Manny Pacquiao.

Thurman (31-1, 23 KOs) has been plagued by inactivity and injuries. He’s fought just twice since he faced Pacquiao: a 2022 win over Mario Barrios and a March third-round KO of Brock Jarvis in March.

The latter marked the start of Thurman’s campaign at 154 pounds. The fight took place in Australia to set up a rescheduled bout with Tim Tszyu this summer.

Instead, Tszyu went on to rematch Fundora last month with the understanding Thurman would face the winner in a title fight this fall.

Now, that’s coming to fruition. And it was a Thurman injury that landed Fundora the title shot in the first place.

Thurman was set to challenge Tszyu in March 2024 in Las Vegas, but he was forced to withdraw with a biceps injury that required surgery. Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) replaced Thurman on short notice and scored the split-decision upset of Tszyu in a brutal and bloody fight.

Following a second win over Tszyu, this time via seventh-round stoppage, Fundora is now set for a third title defense against his most high-profile opponent yet. The 27-year-old has developed his game over the past three fights. In the Tszyu rematch, Fundora used his 6-foot-5 ½ inch height advantage by utilizing his southpaw jab from range.

And for Thurman, it represents not only his first title fight in more than six years, but his first year with multiple bouts since 2019.

[Les Norton]

If Thurman actually makes it to the fight I’ll lean towards a Fundora decison.
While it wouldn’t shock me if Thurman wins, it still astounds me that the WBC gives him a title shot off the back of one fight in 3 years - against an average lightweight who wants to be a bodybuilder.

[gilgamesh]

Fundora UD here, a stoppage isn't out of the question, but Thurman is usually fairly tough, and Fundora isn't a monstrous puncher.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Luis Nunez to feature on Sebastian Fundora-Keith Thurman on October 25

Unbeaten featherweight Luis Nunez of Puerto Rico will seek to lift his No. 6 IBF rating by landing a spot on the October 25 Premier Boxing Champions on Prime Video pay-per-view card in Las Vegas, BS learned Thursday.

Nunez, 25, is 21-0 with 14 KOs.

The card, headed by the WBC 154lbs title fight between champion Sebastian Fundora and former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman, is likely to feature multiple current and former world champions.

Three opponents are in consideration for Nunez, including a top 15 contender in the IBF rankings.

[robbydecker]

Thurman would have to literally leap into the air with a Superman MMA type of punch to reach Fundura's face.

Even a big looping overhand right by Thurman would only reach up to Fundora's upper chest area.

He(Thurman) will have to really focus on the body, in this particular bout.

I'm leaning towards Thurman putting up a good brave fight, while it lasts, but Towering Inferno Ultimately will Prevail.

10th round Tko for Fundora is what I'm sensing.

[JxhDel.]

Fundora will have to bleed it out, but I sense a win for him, not forgetting Thurman does still have his pop.

[chucktaylor]

Thurman has the tools to score a KO against Fundora, but his stamina is a question mark with only a 3 round fight recently. He should go for it early. Fundora is hard to outwork, but he gets hit.

[MPW]

My thought: the longer the fight goes, the more it favors Fundora.

[Ruthless-RKO]

O’SHAQUIE FOSTER-STEPHEN FULTON TO BE PART OF FUNDORA-THURMAN UNDERCARD OCT. 25 IN LAS VEGAS

O’Shaquie Foster and Stephen Fulton officially have another date for their junior lightweight title fight.

The Ring has learned Foster and Fulton have received updated contracts to fight for Foster’s WBC 130-pound championship October 25 at a venue to be announced in Las Vegas. The Foster-Fulton fight will be part of the Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view undercard when Sebastian Fundora defends his WBC super welterweight title against former welterweight champ Keith Thurman.

PBC hasn’t announced the Fundora-Thurman bout, which was reported by The Ring two weeks ago. The main event and undercard could be unveiled sometime next week.

Foster-Fulton was supposed to be part of the Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach undercard August 16 in Las Vegas. The Davis-Roach rematch was postponed last month and then scrapped altogether because Davis will instead face Jake Paul in an exhibition Netflix will stream November 14 from State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Philadelphia’s Fulton (23-1, 8 KOs) will move up from the featherweight limit of 126 pounds when he attempts to become a three-weight champ against Foster (23-3, 12 KOs), of Orange, Texas. The WBC has allowed Fulton, a former WBC/WBO 122-pound champ, to keep its featherweight title, but he’ll have to decide after facing Foster whether he wants to continue competing in the junior lightweight division or drop back down to featherweight.

Brooklyn’s Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (17-0, 9 KOs) won the WBC interim featherweight title when he unanimously out-pointed Namibia’s Mateus Heita (14-1, 9 KOs) on July 26 in The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The WBC could elevate Carrington into Fulton’s championship position if Fulton opts to remain in the junior lightweight division. Mexico’s Rey Vargas is the WBC’s featherweight champion in recess, which further complicates the sanctioning organization’s situation in the 126-pound weight class.

Fulton fought just twice at featherweight before he accepted this fight with Foster. He won the WBC 126-pound crown February 1, when he convincingly defeated rival Brandon Figueroa (26-2-1, 19 KOs) on points at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Carlos Castro (30-3, 14 KOs) dropped Fulton in the fifth round of his featherweight debut 11 months ago. Fulton recovered well enough to eke out a split-decision win last September 14 at T-Mobile Arena.

[Ruthless-RKO]

JESUS RAMOS-SHANE MOSLEY JR. MEET FOR INTERIM BELT ON FUNDORA-THURMAN UNDERCARD

Neither Jesus Ramos nor Shane Mosley Jr. competed in middleweight fights the last time they were in the ring.

Ramos and Mosley aren’t ranked high by the WBC in the 160-pound division, either, which means neither fighter is due a shot at WBC middleweight champ Carlos Adames.

They will nevertheless fight for the WBC interim middleweight title on the Sebastian Fundora-Keith Thurman undercard October 25 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Premier Boxing Champions announced Ramos-Mosley on Friday, when it also made the Fundora-Thurman and O’Shaquie Foster-Stephen Fulton fights official. A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles to promote PBC’s next pay-per-view show.

Ramos (23-1, 19 KOs), a southpaw from Casa Grande, Arizona, has won each of his three bouts by technical knockout since Erickson Lubin beat him by unanimous decision in a 12-rounder that took place in September 2023 in Las Vegas.

The WBC most recently ranked Ramos as its No. 3 contender for Fundora’s junior middleweight title. Ramos is also The Ring’s ninth-rated 154-pound contender for a vacant title.

Mosley (22-4, 12 KOs) will end a 15-month layoff when he faces Ramos. The Pomona, California, native hasn’t fought since he soundly defeated former IBF/WBA middleweight champ Daniel Jacobs (37-5, 30 KOs) in a 10-rounder in July 2024 in Anaheim, California.

Mosley’s victory over Jacobs came in a super middleweight fight. The WBC still has Mosley at No. 10 in its middleweight rankings.

As The Ring previously reported, Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs), of Coachella, California, will defend his WBC belt against Thurman (31-1, 23 KOs), a former WBA/WBC welterweight champ from Clearwater, Florida.

Foster (23-3, 12 KOs), of Orange, Texas, will also put his WBC super featherweight belt on the line against Philadelphia’s Fulton (23-1, 8 KOs), who beat rival Brandon Figueroa to win the WBC featherweight title in his last fight February 1 in Las Vegas.

[Ruthless-RKO]

What a joke. Neither tanked by WBC and gonna fight for the interim belt

It’s Shit like this that loses boxing its integrity

[Sendo Takeshi]

WBA and WBC are the biggest jokes in boxing.
Boxers who have never fought in a division, or who just lost (or even got knocked out in their last fight) still get “title shots” right after.

What happened to the WBA’s promise to reduce the number of champions a couple of years ago?
Seems like it was a one-time thing, because now we have multiple interim and regular champs again.

[NateJR]

Fundora stops Thurman by TKO between rounds 6 and 8. Terrible stylistic matchup for Thurman, with 3 rounds under his belt in the past 3+ years against a guy who throws leather like Fundora and is a absolute physical freak. Thurman gets over whelmed here.

[goose 5]

Agreed. Thurman gets destroyed.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

THURMAN THANKFUL FOR CHANCE, BUT FEELS FUNDORA IS IN THIS POSITION BECAUSE OF HIM

Keith Thurman stood on a chair Wednesday when it was time for him and Sebastian Fundora to pose face to face at the end of their press conference in Los Angeles.

Thurman’s prop emphasized the hilarious height difference between the 6-foot-6 Fundora and a former unified welterweight champion who stands 5-8. Thurman took a more serious tone when he thanked Fundora for the opportunity to fight for the towering southpaw’s WBC super welterweight title October 25 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Thurman, 36, especially appreciates Fundora’s willingness to fight him because he felt frozen out by other junior middleweights. The Clearwater, Florida, native also feels Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) somewhat owes him because it was Thurman’s biceps injury that created this. Fundora got to fight Tim Tszyu on short notice in March 2024.

Fundora, 27, defeated Tszyu (25-3, 18 KOs) by split decision in that bloody battle in Las Vegas. He won the WBC interim 154-pound title that night and was later elevated to full champion.

“He did my job,” Thurman said of Fundora defeating Tszyu. “He’s in this position because of me. I always heard he’s a good kid, but he is because it’s the right thing to fight Keith Thurman. Not only does it feel right, not only is it gonna be a great fight, but this man got options.

“Let’s be real. You wanna know why I had to go to Australia? [Because] everybody’s too busy fighting everybody else, leaving your man Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman on the [expletive] shelf. That’s all they was doing. Playing games, picking up this check, that check.”

Thurman (31-1, 23 KOs, 1 NC) stopped Australia’s Brock Jarvis (23-2, 21 KOs) in his last fight. That third-round TKO on March 12 in Sydney was supposed to lead to rescheduling Thurman’s fight with Tszyu.

Tszyu instead fought Fundora again. Sydney’s Tszyu, a former WBO junior middleweight champ, surprisingly refused to answer the bell for the eighth round July 19 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Tszyu’s TKO defeat to Fundora eliminated a profitable option for Thurman, who happily accepted Al Haymon’s offer to fight the champion in a Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view main event.

Thurman applauded the ascending Fundora’s willingness to face such an accomplished opponent. Fundora has won three straight fights since Brian Mendoza violently knocked him out in the seventh round of their April 2023 bout in Carson, California.

“Ever since I was in the amateurs, there’s been no such thing as an easy Thurman fight,” Thurman said. “[It’s never], ‘Oh, I’m just gonna beat Thurman. I’m just gonna roll through Thurman.’ You gotta really want this. You gotta want it in your legacy. And Fundora’s at that stage of his career where he’s getting some names, but he never got a name like this.

“He saw it. He heard the proposal. It sounded sweet. I’m a make sure it tastes bitter. But it sounds sweet. I’m just gonna thank you, man. Thank you for taking this fight, Fundora. I salute you.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Isaac Lucero added to Sebastian Fundora-Keith Thurman pay-per-view

Isaac Lucero is back for his second bout of 2025, with the junior middleweight prospect slotted to open the October 25 pay-per-view headlined by Sebastian Fundora defending his world title at 154lbs against Keith Thurman.

His opponent has not yet been named.

Lucero, a 27-year-old from Mexico, fought in May in the city that he now calls home, Las Vegas, where he works with trainer Bob Santos. Lucero stopped the 23-0 Omar Valenzuela in the second round on the undercard of Armando Resendiz’s upset win over Caleb Plant at the Michelob Ultra Arena.

The victory was Lucero’s sixth consecutive knockout and moved his record to 17-0 (13 KOs). It was only his second fight in the United States, the first one coming in Lucero’s pro debut in December 2019. This October 25 bout at Sin City’s MGM Grand Garden Arena will be Lucero’s third.

The rest of the pay-per-view undercard will feature junior lightweight titleholder O’Shaquie Foster defending his WBC belt against featherweight titleholder Stephen Fulton, and Shane Mosley Jnr and Jesus Ramos Jnr vying for the WBC’s interim belt at 160lbs.

[Ruthless-RKO]

O’Shaquie Foster warns: Stephen Fulton should’ve stayed at 126lbs

Stephen Fulton has won world titles in two weight classes. O’Shaquie Foster says Fulton is biting off more than he can chew by going for a third when they meet in Las Vegas on October 25 on the pay-per-view undercard of Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman.

“The 130lb division runs through me,” Foster was quoted as saying in a press release. “Respect to Stephen Fulton Jnr for stepping up in weight, but he’ll find out real soon that he should have stayed at featherweight.”

Foster, 23-3 (12 KOs), won the vacant WBC junior lightweight belt in February 2023 with a unanimous decision over another featherweight titleholder, Rey Vargas. Foster then made two successful defenses, including a come-from-behind knockout of Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez with less than a minute to go in their October 2023 battle, and a split decision over Abraham Nova in February 2024.

But Foster lost his belt in July 2024, dropping a split decision to Robson Conceicao. He regained it last November, this time getting the better end of a split decision in his rematch with Conceicao.

This will be Foster’s first fight of 2025. The 31-year-old was expecting to face Fulton in August on the undercard of an anticipated rematch between Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Lamont Roach Jnr. But that rematch didn’t happen – Davis is instead facing Jake Paul in a massive event this fall – and so Foster-Fulton wound up on a new date.

“I’ve gone through a lot in this game to become a two-time world champion,” Foster said. “I will take full advantage of this opportunity.”

Fulton, 23-1 (8 KOs), won the WBO junior featherweight belt in early 2021 with a wide decision over Angelo Leo and then added the WBC title in his very next fight, taking a hard-fought majority decision against Brandon Figueroa. Fulton added a decision victory over former unified titleholder Daniel Roman in June 2022 before losing his belts via eighth-round TKO to Naoya Inoue in July 2023.

Fulton then moved up to 126lbs. He struggled to a split decision win over Carlos Castro in September 2024 but looked significantly better, far more acclimated to his new weight class, this past February, when Fulton won a much clearer unanimous decision over Figueroa in their rematch. The win over Figueroa earned Fulton the WBC featherweight belt.

“I'm ready to become a three-division world champion,” Fulton said in a press release. “I expect him to be ready, but that’s why I’m training to be at my best on October 25. We’re gonna be prepared for anything he brings and do whatever it takes to have my hand raised. I’m coming to steal the show.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fundora on Thurman believing he has PTSD from his past KO loss
“I think going back to the last year, going back and beating the guy who beat me solves a lot of those things. My mind is very strong, my dad made sure of that. I think people talk about (PTSD) because those are things to focus on. People tend to focus on those things because they have it themselves.

“He lost to Pacquiao, he’s been on the side for a while, he’s been saying COVID and all these things, so those things are going to be on his mind because those are things he’s thinking about. I’m not focused on that. I’m focused on Oct. 25th fighting with a former champion and winning and retaining my championship belt.

“I think I’m way past that (stoppage loss). I guess winning two titles or holding this title doesn’t show you guys so we just have to prove it again with Keith Thurman.”

On whether Thurman’s inactivity is an advantage for him
“It could be, it just depends on how I display it. But for me, in my case, I think it will.”

On what most fighters underestimate about him
“Through fight week I feel the questioning while I’m looking at them…I saw some things today but we’re just focused on winning. We’re focused on doing our thing and we’re excited for Oct. 25th.”

[2144811]

My thought: geometry dash lite the longer the fight goes, the more it favors Fundora.

Yupp. That's totally what I thought