Who Won The Weekend: Bloody Good Stuff For Boxing Fans

Boxing fans, can you recall a weekend in recent memory of more good choices for the expert NY Fights team to choose from in our regular “Who Won The Weekend?” feature? Let's get right to the action.

Sebastian Fundora Stands Tall

Michael Woods, editor in chief: Gotta be FUNDORA! I love his attitude win or lose. He’s a joyful athlete and a great role model for the sport!

The Fundora family celebrates Sebastian Fundora's win with promoter Sampson Lewkowicz. Photo: Courtesy Nathan Lewkowicz/X

Matthew Pomara, writer: The Fundora Family won the weekend!

In what looked like a scene out of a 1970s slasher movie, Sebastian Fundora pulled the upset against a tough and relentless Tim Tsyzu, using his size and reach to execute a smart and disciplined game plan. He kept the now former champion outside all night and scored a hard-fought, bloody victory.

With the victory, “The Towering Inferno” joins his sister Gabriela Fundora as champion. Gabriela, dubbed “Sweet Poison,” holds the IBF Flyweight title. The Fundora family won the weekend as the first family to have a brother and sister as champions!

Ernie Green, writer: Sebastian Fundora, got the gift of a lifetime. Tim Tszyu landed 70 (!!!) percent of his power shots in the second round until that cut. Fundora went from getting erased for the second straight fight to champion, thanks to absolutely nothing he did.

Serhii Bohachuk waited through injuries and delays for his big opportunity and seized it Saturday. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Lucas Katelle, writer: I’m a rebel. I think Serhii (Bohachuk) won the weekend – what a performance.

Matthew Aguilar, writer: This one’s easy: Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz. A Ruslan Provodnikov type who no one will ever be in a hurry to fight. He’s got technical flaws, yes, but his seek-and-destroy style is earning him a folk hero type following. Very little trash talk or histrionics. Just fighting.

The Romero fight showcased his stripped-down methods in all their glory.

Isaac Cruz made Rolly Romero pay for all the trash talk leading up to Saturday's fight. Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Beowulf Jones, writer: Tim Cheatham. He turned in two preposterous scorecards, but because there’s no accountability for incompetent boxing judges, he’ll just continue to fail upwards.

Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke delivered a sensational scrap for boxing fans in London on Sunday. Photo: Lawrence Lustig, Boxxer

Aaron Brason-Stewart, writer: I think the Fabio Wardley/Frazer Clarke fight won the weekend. It was not only one of the best British heavyweight title fights, but one of the best domestic dust-ups in recent memory. It had it all: a knockdown, point deduction, end-to-end action, and a lot of blood.

This fight was a testament to how a domestic matchup produces the fireworks and action it promises. Hopefully, a rematch to follow.

Seniesa Estrada: Undisputed, Unified Champion

Seniesa Estrada is the first ever unified women's minimumweight world champion. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Colin Morrison, UK Bureau Chief: With plenty to select from, I'm nominating Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada, who became women's undisputed minimumweight champion on Friday night in Arizona.

Estrada showed her ring IQ to box her way past longtime rival Yokasta Valle to take a unanimous decision on the scorecards. In what was a close fight, Estrada needed all of her guile and guts to get the better of Valle, who closed the fight very strongly.

Estrada had done enough, though, and deserved the win. Congratulations to “Super Bad,” now 26-0 and boxing's newest undisputed champion.

Will we see Errol Spence Jr. and Sebastian Fundora face each other soon? Photo: Esther Lin, Premier Boxing Champions

Jack Kelly, writer: There were a lot of great fights and rightful winners already chosen, so to go against the grain and give a different answer. Errol Spence was the winner of the weekend. If Tim Tszyu had beaten Sebastian Fundora, all signs pointed to a showdown against Terence Crawford later this year.

But with Fundora pulling off the upset and promoter Sampson Lewkowicz already showing interest in a fight against the former unified welterweight champion in Dallas, Spence may have the opportunity to put the Crawford loss behind him by bouncing back and become a champion at 154 pounds by the end of the year.

As of Monday, the WBO mandated a fight between Fundord and Crawford, stating the two sides have 20 days to come to a deal before a purse bid and that the fight must take place within 180 days of the fight being signed. Rumors swirl that Fundora could vacate the WBO title and just defend the WBC against Spence, but only time will tell.

Boxing Fans, Are You Not Entertained?

These Pitbull Cruz fans drove from Mexicali, Mexico, to Las Vegas to see their countryman win a world title. Photo: Gayle Falkenthal, NY Fights

Gayle Falkenthal, West Coast Bureau Chief: For once, boxing fans won the weekend. Can you recall a more enjoyable three days on the boxing calendar?

Oscar Valdez, Seniesa Estrada, Gilberto Ramirez, Serhii Bohachuk, Julio Cesar Martinez, Erislandy Lara, Issac Cruz, and Sebastian Fundora all took home championship belts. Fraser Clark and Fabio Wardley threw down for 12 hard rounds to a draw.

If it means we get a rematch, we’re not mad at it. Nearly forgotten was Melvin Jerusalem’s minimumweight title fight win over Yudai Shigeoka in Nagoya, Japan, for the WBC belt.

No, there wasn’t a Spence vs. Crawford or heavyweight unification on tap. But we count ten top-level title fights, including two unification fights plus one undisputed unification fight by Estrada and Yoka Valle. Not a single stinker in the bunch.

We are quick to criticize when fighters, promoters, judges, referees, sanctioning organizations, networks, and fate let us down. Let’s celebrate when boxing reminds us it’s still the most thrilling sport on the planet.