Sebastian Fundora Shuts Down Tszyu in Rematch; Pitbull Cruz Scorches Salcido

Barely two minutes into the long anticipated rematch between super welterweights Sebastian Fundora and Tim Tszyu, Tszyu found himself sitting on the canvas after a first round knockdown from Fundora.

Tszyu was unable to dig himself out of that hole, but he put on a brave and determined performance against Fundora, who proved he’s among the very best in a competitive 154-pound division.

Tim Tszyu found himself on the canvas and already in a hole on the scorecards two minutes into his rematch with Sebastian Fundora. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Fundora of Coachella, California (23-1-1, 15 KOs) and Tszyu of Australia (25-3, 18 KOs) went to war as they promised, ending after the seventh round when Tszyu told referee Harvey Dock he could not continue. Fundora successfully defends his WBC World Super Welterweight belt.

Watch the Fundora Tszyu 2 fight highlights here.

Fundora landed a solid left hook to the chin, sitting Tszyu down hard. Tsyzu got to his feed, and finished strong landing a few shots of his own.

“The first knockdown of round one, my dad (trainer Freddy Fundora) told me, ‘I think you can get him out.’ His prediction came true.” Fundora said as the far biggest guy, towering over all his opponents at 6-foot-6, he said he decided to start bullying his opponents.

“I just saw him really not wanting to get hit,” explained Fundora. “And we took advantage of. We took the lead. Definitely getting the first round knockdown changed the pace of the fight, for sure.”

Sebastian Fundora cut off the ring and pressed Tim Tszyu back to the ropes and playing the bully in the early rounds. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Fundora put it to Tszyu, pushing him repeatedly to the ropes over the next few rounds as Tszyu did his best to clear his head and get his feet under him. Tsyzu’s only defense was to fight back, take a chance and go out on his shield. The fans loved him for it, encouraging him to stand in tough.

It’s exactly what the Australian did, and Fundora was more than happy to play. For the remaining rounds of the fight, the action continued with both men standing up to vicious power punches.

Sebastian Fundora’s incredible height and reach advantage present challenges for any opponent. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Due to Fundora’s reach advantage, Tszyu struggled to find the right range, swinging and missing. Fundora could fight on the outside all night, but where’s the fun in that?

Tszyu did find a range and starting in round four, he connected on some tough shots. It was not an all-out firefight. Fundora was getting the best of it, but Tszyu had that puncher’s chance. If he was going out, he was going out on his shield.

Tszyu gave due credit to Fundora. “He’s one tough motherfucker. I tried everything, but I just couldn’t do it. Sebastian Fundora is the best 154-pound fighter. He was just the better man; he’s very hard to land, he’s tall as fuck. It is what it is. Congratulations to Fundora and his team,” said Tszyu, receiving a sincere round of applause from the fans.

Tim Tszyu showed tremendous courage in pressing on against Sebastian Fundora. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

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“My father puts a lot of work into us. We wanted to prove to everybody and all the fans and all the media that we can get the job done with him,” said Fundora. “I think our performance definitely shows that. I’m getting older, getting wider, and now I’m using a lot of my advantages.”

As impressive as Fundora’s victory was, consider this additional news: Fundora has been accepted at Harvard University, where he plans to pursue his degree in engineering. We wonder if the admissions committee is aware of Fundora’s off-campus job.

Cruz Scorches Salcido In Entertaining Mismatch

Issac Cruz found Omar Salcido was no match for his power punching and relentless pressure. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Junior welterweight Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz of Mexico City  (28-3-1, 18 KOs) took a courageous but overwhelmed Omar Salcido of Hermosillo, Mexico (20-3, 14 KOs) to the woodshed in their ten-round fight.

Watch highlights of the action here.

It didn’t mean the fans were denied the entertainment and action they came to see from Cruz. They roared with every power punch landed.

Cruz scored a knockdown in the final round and came within a whisker of stopping Salcido. But the last minute fill-in for Angel Fierro got the moral victory by demonstrating his toughness and making it to the final bell.

“I took my hat off to him, because it was a great fight, and we made it a great show for the fans” said Cruz, who said he made the best of things when Salcido agreed to step in just 24 hours before the fight, filling in for the original opponent Angel Fierro. Fierro was forced to withdrawn due to his health deteriorating from his attempts to cut weight.

Isaac Cruz overcomes his height disadvantage with his aggression. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

“t was a surprise to me, to the family, to everybody, but we’re pros, and we made it what we could, and in the end, we put a great product out there, and that’s what matters,” said Cruz.

Cruz said he would consider facing recently crowned junior lightweight champion Subriel Matias of Puerto Rico, who was on hand for the fight. He said he has no interest now in rescheduling a rematch with Fierro. “There’s really no point in considering anything with someone as unprofessional as he was. I don’t really think about it, and what I’m doing is thinking about the future.”

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