Fundora promoter Lewkowicz to Tszyu: 'rematch ready when you are'

New unified junior middleweight titleholder, however, faces injury layoff and has been ordered by WBO to fight Crawford

Dan Rafael

Apr 02, 2024

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Newly crowned unified junior middleweight titleholder Sebastian Fundora apparently will indeed give Tim Tszyu a rematch following their gruesome bloodbath on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Sampson Lewkowicz, Fundora’s promoter, clarified his murky immediate post-fight comments about whether there was a rematch clause for the bout, which was made on 12 days’ notice when Keith Thurman, Tszyu’s original opponent for the pay-per-view the main event, suffered a torn biceps and pulled out. That led to Fundora being elevated from the undercard to the main event to challenge for Tszyu’s WBO title and the vacant WBC 154-pound belt.

It was a drastic change for Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs), 29, of Australia, who went from fighting the 5-foot-8, right-handed Thurman to the 6-6 southpaw Fundora, but Tszyu accepted the replacement immediately. Fundora won an upset split decision in a fight that looked like a horror movie because of the tremendous amount of bloodshed from both men, who each were covered head to toe and front and in each other’s blood.

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Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), 26, of Coachella, California, suffered a broken nose in the first round and bled profusely for the entire fight while also swallowing his own blood. Tszyu dominated the first two rounds but then suffered a horrific gash on the top of his head when he accidentally rammed into Fundora’s elbow late in the second round, which dramatically changed the tenor of the bout as he could barely see with the blood pouring down his face for the remaining 10 rounds.

Both fighters refused to quit and referee Harvey Dock and the ringside doctor allowed the fight to continue. In the end, Fundora won 116-112 and 115-113 on two scorecards and Tszyu, the son of Hall of Fame former undisputed junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, won 116-112 on one card in his second title defense.

At the post-fight news conference for the first Premier Boxing Champions event with new partner Prime Video, both fighters declined to discuss whether there was a rematch clause. It would have been a surprise for their not to be one in such a high-stakes non-mandatory bout. Lewkowicz was then asked about it but his response was not clear.

“There’s verbally a rematch clause but I believe I’m a promoter and I need to maximize the income of the fighter,” Lewkowicz said. “Most likely (Tszyu) will have to wait one fight at least, regroup himself, and then maybe we can do it… but first of all we need to take care of the business.”

On Monday, Lewkowicz clarified his comments and left no doubt that Tszyu will get a rematch if he wants it, which he said he does.

“We were all so eager to make this fight that many of our agreements were made verbally,” Lewkowicz said of the short-notice bout. “There wasn’t enough time. But I wish to make it clear that Team Fundora will honor the agreement. My word is always equal to a signed contract. Tim Tszyu, your rematch is ready when you are.”

Lewkowicz added that the rematch will happen but he left open the door for the possibility of the fighters having an interim bout first.

“It all depends on Tim Tszyu,” Lewkowicz said. “If he doesn’t take the rematch, we will take the WBO mandatory (against Terence Crawford) or (Errol) Spence), whatever the WBO says. But the first priority is the rematch with Tim Tszyu.”

Whatever his next fight is, Fundora won’t be back in the ring until at least November. Lewkowicz told Fight Freaks Unite that Freddy Fundora, Sebastian’s father and trainer, told him that his son would need the layoff, in part because of the nose injury.

“Both fighters proved their tremendous hearts in this fight,” Lewkowicz said. “The elbow was a complete accident, but it showed Tim Tszyu’s greatness in continuing to fight when he could have quit. And Sebastian Fundora was swallowing his own blood for 10 rounds and still was able to beat one of the best in his division.

“It was a sensational fight, and we are ready to do it again when Tim is ready. Congratulations to both fighters. There were no losers Saturday night. The boxing fans won by witnessing it. Amazon Prime Video won with an amazing first show and both fighters won by proving their greatness in front of the whole world.”

If Fundora-Tszyu II is indeed next there is a strong probability that Fundora would be stripped of the WBO title. On Monday, the WBO, as expected, notified Fundora’s team and unified welterweight champion Crawford’s team to begin negotiating the mandatory bout. Crawford, as the WBO welterweight champion, has invoked his right to be the organization’s next mandatory in the heavier weight class.

The WBO agreed to sanction Tszyu-Fundora in the first place subject to the winner facing Crawford next within 180 days of the bout. In its notification to both sides, the WBO laid out its conditions:

The camps are granted 20 days to negotiate and reach an agreement.
The 20-day negotiation period begins on Friday.
Failure to make a deal will result in a purse bid being ordered.
The minimum bid is $200,000 (although if it actually did go to an auction the winner likely would bid eight figures) but either side can request an immediate purse bid if they don’t want to negotiate.

Lewkowicz expressed concern about the WBO ordering immediate negotiations for the Crawford bout and plans for a potential purse bid so quickly when Fundora won’t be physically prepared to fight again for several months.

Spence also is apparently a possibility if Fundora is has an interim bout. Spence, who is also with PBC, was allowed to join Fundora at the end of his in-ring interview and talked up a possible fight with Fundora, who also said he was interested.

Spence, a former unified welterweight titlist, was mowed down in nine one-sided rounds by Crawford in July in their long-awaited undisputed title fight. With Spence’s window for a contractual rematch with Crawford closing — and a rematch having virtually no commercial viability because of how one-sided the fight was last summer — Spence plans to move up to 154 pounds and is looking for a significant bout.

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