Fight Results: Mendoza Upsets Fundora For Shocking Knockout Win

Brian Mendoza of Las Vegas (22-2, 16 KOs) got the last-minute call to take on interim WBC Super Welterweight titleholder Sebastian Fundora of Coachella, California (20-1-1, 13 KOs) based on his upset victory over former champion Jeison Rosario last November.

Mendoza promised to deliver another big upset against Fundora as he did against Rosario. Given just ten days to train, it was the longest of long shots.

Going into the seventh round, it wasn’t looking promising for Mendoza. Fundora was ahead on the scorecards 60-54, 60-54, and 59-55, in complete control. He snapped Mendoza’s head back repeatedly with uppercuts. But a fight’s narrative can change quickly.

“I can lose a couple rounds. I’m still coming forward,” said Mendoza.

The moment Brian Mendoza landed the left hook changed his life on Saturday in Carson, California. Photo: Esther LIn, Showtime Boxing

Mendoza seized his moment when it came. As Fundora leaned in, Mendoza caught him flush with a left hook to the chin. Fundora wobbled and seemingly froze. Mendoza followed up with an even harder left hook to drop Fundora to the canvas like a redwood tree. Fundora sat up but seemed to make no attempt from there to get up, giving Mendoza the victory at 39 seconds of the seventh round.

UNBELIEVABLE!@LaBalaMendoza does it again, stunning Fundora with a wild 7th-round knockout!#FundoraMendoza pic.twitter.com/MWnhzoc2v6

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) April 9, 2023

War Grounds Magic For Mendoza

“As soon as I saw him still in the air, I had to empty the gas tank, empty the clip,” said Mendoza, who credited his team and his nonstop work ethic. “I feel like I’m unstoppable. They call me “La Bala” (The Bullet) for a reason,” explained Mendoza after the fight.

“There was a whole world full of doubters. For the believers, this is for you,” said Mendoza. “I wasn’t even supposed to make it this far,” said Mendoza. “It’s crazy, man. I’m really here!”

Brian Mendoza celebrates his victory in the ring Saturday night after knocking out Sebastian Fundora in the seventh round. Photo: Esther Lin, Showtime Boxing

Mendoza said it wouldn’t have mattered how far behind he was on the scorecards or how many punches Fundora had landed in the fight. “You have to kill me to get me to stop. Even when he was snapping my head back with uppercuts, I kept coming.”

Fundora was surprisingly cheerful after the fight. “I’m good. For a split second, I turned off. That’s boxing. It happens,” said Fundora. “I didn’t see the punch. I got caught, you know. He was throwing that overhand right all night. The second you fall asleep, you’ll get punished. It was a good punch. I didn’t even recognize it.

“We’ll definitely be back,” vowed Fundora. This is a step up and a step down. We’ll be back. This is boxing. We’ve got to fight. I’ll be back. Cong to Brian Mendoza. He did his thing.”

Mendoza has become known for his walk-off knockouts. Saturday’s addition to the list is a serious candidate for the 2023 Knockout of the Year.

Mendoza: ‘I really did it’

Mendoza didn’t begin boxing until he was 16 years old. He joins a short list of champions from New Mexico, including Bob Foster, Johnny Tapia, Danny Romero, Austin Trout, Angelo Leo, and Holly Holm. An emotional Mendoza reflected after the fight how his childhood dreams had been realized.

.@LaBalaMendoza is overcome with emotion after claiming the interim WBC super welterweight title 🫶#FundoraMendoza pic.twitter.com/lmHZxQdpzV

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) April 9, 2023

“This is real life. I really dug myself out of that hole. Now I’m at the top of the sport,” said Mendoza. “Keep trying and chasing your dreams. This is real life. Thank you for believing in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself.” Mendoza thanked his first trainer, Fidel Maldonado, along with Salas, strength and conditioning coach Tony Brady, and assistant trainers, including Fernando Diaz. “That fire inside me was always instilled in me. I just needed to build the team.”

Mendoza said he’s not going to play it cool. “I’m going to enjoy every minute of this. I’m going to enjoy it till the wheels fall off,” laughed Mendoza. “This is the real me!” Mendoza said he feels comfortable fighting at super welterweight or middleweight, giving him more options.

Carson Classic: Lee and Campa Go To War

Brandun Lee won a wide decision from the judges over Pedro Campa Saturday, though the fight appeared much closer. Photo: Esther LIn, Showtime Boxing

Brandun Lee of La Quinta, California (28-0, 23 KOs) is another high desert fighter who feels at home in Carson. Lee and opponent Pedro Campa of Guamas, Mexico (34-23-1, 23 KOs) put on an all-action show for ten solid rounds, going to the scorecards with many observers considering the result in doubt.

Despite Campa outthrowing and outlanding Lee behind a brilliant bodywork attack, Lee won the fight. It wasn’t so much the victory as the wide scorecards. Judges scored it 99-91, 97-93, and 98-92 for Lee.

Lee said he was confident he’d won the fight before the scores were announced. “If anything, it was a little close, but I knew I won it easily. This is boxing. It’s all about more effective punches. Look at his face. Look at mine. Pedro Campa is a true Mexican veteran. Mexicans come to fight.”

A disappointed Campa saw it differently. “I thought I won the fight. In my corner, we had it 5-5, 6-4. He’s the hometown guy here. I thought I won. I felt I was pressuring him the whole fight.”

Pedro Campa never let up, throwing and landing more punches than Brandun Lee in ten rounds. Photo: Esther LIn, Showtime Boxing

The 23-year-old Lee has been criticized for lacking stamina. On Saturday night, Lee held up well to Campa’s pressure through all ten rounds. Lee has the skills to fight from the outside, but – it’s Carson. Lee said before the fight, Campa has the stamina to go the distance, and Lee didn’t want to give Campa that chance. A wise decision considering the outcome in the opening bout.

Lee snapped off nonstop power shots. Campa gave it right back, landing his punishing shots and putting together his punches nicely at a torrid pace. Campa targeted Lee to the body, a smart approach for a fighter not known for his conditioning. Credit to Lee. He took the punches and stood right with Campa.

Brandun Lee and Pedro Campa treated the fans in Carson, California, to ten rounds of nonstop action. Photo: Esther LIn, Showtime Boxing Mendoza Upsets Fundora

Before the ninth round, Lee’s trainer and father told him, “You have to be strong, mentally and physically.” Lee let his hands go, trying to end the bout. He landed a solid left hook upstairs, but it wasn’t going to stop the determined Campa. Lee had to retreat to ensure he had enough to last the round.

Like Fundora, Lee is a talented young fighter staying busy building his resume until a title opportunity comes his way. Still just 23 years old, Lee and Fundora face the same problem. The top names aren’t available, and both have to take on dangerous lesser-known opponents like Mendoza and Campa with nothing to lose. The ambitious young A-side guys are tempted to mix it up to please their fans. Lee survived where Fundora did not.

“I would love another opportunity like Pedro Campa, someone who’s strong like Pedro Campa, and continue where I am now. I knew he would bring the pressure nonstop. I wish I used my jab a little bit more,” said Lee.

Luis Nuñez Remains Undefeated With Decision over Christian Olivo

Luis Nuñez of the Dominican Republic handed Christian Olivo of Hermosillo, Mexico, his first defeat. Photo: Esther LIin, Showtime Boxing

The Showtime card opened with a Carson-style classic between two unbeaten fighters wanting to keep it that way. It was Luis Nuñez of the Dominican Republican (19-0, 13 KOs) who prevailed in an entertaining ten-round featherweight bout over Christian Olivo of Hermosillo, Mexico (20-1-1, 7 KOs), who suffered his first loss.

Olivo, considered the underdog, was the busier fighter in the first three rounds. Once Nuñez got up to speed, he took over with cleaner, more accurate shots. Olivo rallied, and it appeared he’d done enough in a close contest. The judges disagreed, giving a lopsided victory to Nuñez by scores of 100-90, 98-92, and 97-93.

“We did the work to win this most important victory,” said Nuñez. Did he think he was that far ahead on the cards? “My jab was working in every round. He threw a lot of punches that didn’t reach me,” pointed out Nuñez.

“I want to thank my rival. It was a great fight. I need to work on a couple of things. This fight will propel me … I think I did lose this fight. Future fights need more work,” said a humble Olivo in defeat.

Gabriel Maestre Stops Veteran Devon Alexander

Gabriel Maestre made the most of his opportunity, stopping veteran Devon Alexander for his fourth win. Photo: Esther Lin, Showtime Boxing

Gabriel Maestre of Barranquilla, Colombia (5-0-1, 4 KOs) took a few rounds to warm up, then dropped veteran Devon Alexander of St Louis (27-8-1, 14 KOs) at the end of the second round with an uppercut at the end of a multi-punch combination started with a left hook. Alexander survived with help from the bell, but not for long. Maestre took it to Alexander, fueled by good bodywork through the third. Alexander failed to answer the bell for the fourth round, although the cause wasn’t made clear. The fight was waved off for a TKO win to Maestre.

Gabriela Fundora Gives Family Name A Win

Flyweight Gabriela Fundora of Coachella CA (11-0, 4 KOs) battled through a cut on the bridge of her nose in the fourth round, scoring a knockdown in the sixth round on the way to a decision victory over Maria Santizo of Guatemala (11-3, 6 KOs), Scores were 79-72 X 2 and 77-74. Fundora is the younger sister of Sebastian Fundora.

Frank Sanchez Makes Quick Work of Daniel Martz

Frank Sanchez dropped Daniel Martz three times before scoring the first-round knockout win in Carson. Photo: Esther Lin, Showtime Boxing

Heavyweight Frank Sanchez of Miami (22-0, 15 KOs) needed less than two minutes to drop Daniel Martz of Clarksburg, West Virginia (20-11-1, 17 KOs) three times before the bout was stopped for a knockout win. The final knockdown was a hard right hook to the opponent called The Mountain.

Veteran heavyweight Chris Arreola of Escondido, CA (39-7-1, 34 KOs) drilled Mathew McKenney of Oceanside (13-7-3, 9 KOs) for a knockout at 1:01 of the second round.

Adrian Corona and Jerry Perez both needed the win coming off losses but had to settle for a draw. Photo: Esther LIn, Showtime Boxing Mendoza Upsets Fundora

Super featherweights Adrian Corona of Rialto, Calif (9-1-2, 2 KOs) and Jerry Perez of Oak Hills, Calif (14-2-1, 11 KOs) both needed the win coming off losses. Neither of them got one, as the judges scored the fight 78-74 for Perez and two cards even at 76 for a majority draw.

Super featherweight Justin Viloria of Whittier (1-0, 1 KO) won his professional debut just 62 seconds into his bout against Sirdarious Smith of Bentonville, Ark (0-2) via a nifty body shot knockout.