Sebastian Fundora vs. Josh Kelly - Who wins?

[Ruthless-RKO]

EDDIE HEARN: SEBASTIAN FUNDORA VS. JOSH KELLY IN ‘VERY PRELIMINARY TALKS'

The path toward an undisputed champion at 154 pounds could come down to one fight by the end of 2026.

Days after it was announced Xander Zayas would defend his WBA and WBO titles against Jaron “Boots” Ennis on June 27 in New York on DAZN PPV, Matchroom Boxing CEO Eddie Hearn revealed on IFL TV that there have been early discussions for a unification bout between IBF champion Josh Kelly and WBC titleholder Sebastian Fundora.

Hearn promotes Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) and Kelly (18-1-1, 9 KOs) and added that a voluntary defense is in the works for the latter this summer. Hearn also said Kelly’s manager and trainer, Adam Booth, and Premier Boxing Champions, which co-promotes Fundora, have shown interest in a unification clash.

“We’re talking about a voluntary defense in July, and then Adam Booth said let’s make the Fundora fight,”

. “We’ve had very early conversations with PBC about that. They’re very interested, and I said, ‘Let’s make Josh Kelly versus Sebastian Fundora, and the winner fights the winner of Boots-Zayas for undisputed.’

“That would be a very natural thing to do and a sign that boxing is in a great place because the best are fighting the best [and] the champions are fighting the champions.”

Kelly, 32, won the title on Jan. 31 when he upset Bakhram Murtazaliev by majority decision. Kelly, of Newcastle, England, is The Ring’s No. 6 junior middleweight.

Fundora (24-1-1, 16 KOs), who is boxing’s tallest champion at 6-foot-5 ½, is coming off a dominant sixth-round stoppage of former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman on March 28. The 28-year-old southpaw has yet to fight beyond the seventh round in three title defenses.
Fundora is The Ring’s No. 2 junior middleweight, trailing only Vergil Ortiz.

[forcefraser]

All wrong for Kelly, not easy to run for 12 rounds against a bloke that tall

One sided shellacking

[keithmoonhangover]

I picked Kelly for the last fight and I'm picking him again here. He's brimming full with confidence, got the skills and will beat the short arse Fundora to the punch. Ha'way!!!

[MPW]

I would pick Fundora. With his height and reach, not to mention his inside game and improving boxing skills, he poses a distinct set of problems for any 154-pounder. I don't doubt that Kelly has sky-high confidence right now, but there are some people - many, perhaps - who don't think he beat Murtazaliev, benefitting from a favorable hometown decision. (While it wasn't the kind of fight I prefer, I think Kelly did enough to win.) Plus, I can't see the Californian and his team allowing this fight, if it were to happen, to take place in the UK.

[Ruthless-RKO]

FUNDORA PROMOTER BELIEVES KELLY FIGHT WILL BE MADE, SUGGESTS APPEALING DATE

Sebastian Fundora isn’t wasting any time zeroing in on his next test.

Less than a week after stopping Keith Thurman, the WBC junior middleweight champion Fundora (24-1-1, 16 KOs) immediately stepped into negotiations for a title unification fight against IBF title holder Josh Kelly.
“I believe this fight will be made,” Fundora promoter Sampson Lewkowicz told The Ring. “It depends on where it will be and the strength of the offer. It's a great fight for the fighters, to unify the titles, and the fans across the US and UK, too.”

Lewkowicz said he’s leaving the negotiations to be handled by confidant Luis DeCubas Jr. and Kelly's promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, who last week confirmed the two sides were in preliminary discussions.

If the fight were to take place in the UK, Lewkowicz even lobbied for the idea to have it scheduled for June 27, the same day that WBA and WBO champion Xander Zayas is set to defend his titles against Jaron Ennis in New York.

“It would be unbelievable if that could happen,” said Lewkowicz. “It will be like a tournament featuring four of the top 154-pounders in the world, and the winners can fight for the undisputed championship afterward. It will be best if this happens. It can be historical, but we’ll see.”

Lewkowicz also offered his prediction on how he sees the bout between Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) and Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) playing out when they square off at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center to headline a DAZN PPV.
“Zayas definitely deserves credit for taking the fight against Ennis,” said Lewkowicz. “He's smart, has good movement and could create problems, but I believe Ennis will win in a very competitive fight, most likely by knockout. Ennis is the second-best junior middleweight in the world, but no one can beat Sebastian at this moment.”