.Oct 24, 2024, 08:08 AM ET There was actually an odds Sebastian Fundora would face Tim Tszyu in his next match, a rematch of in 2014’s grisly selection success, but with Tszyu shedding by TKO to Bakhram Murtazaliev on Sunday, Fundora possesses his eyes on a various rival: Errol Spence Jr.Spence, a past welterweight champ, hasn’t fought given that his ninth-round TKO loss to Terence Crawford in July 2023. Subsequently, Spence possessed cataract surgical procedure in January. While the fight have not formally been actually revealed, there’s an odds they will fight very early following year.
Can easily Fundora make the most of the chance and defeat Spence?Shakur Stevenson was actually booked to face Joe Cordina this month but experienced an injury to his right hand in the course of instruction that demanded surgical operation. Currently Stevenson’s seeking a brand new opponent– probably a leading 5 competitor– for February in a Riyadh Time card.Jack Catterall as well as Regis Prograis need declaration triumphes when they face each other on Saturday, but can they get it? Rafael Espinoza pulled a dismayed triumph over Robeisy Ramirez last December in among the best battles of the year.
Can easily they generate yet another must-see match in the rematch?One of the most effective pound-for-pound boxers, Naoya Inoue, has actually won world titles in 4 body weight classes and appears unsurpassable. However his Japanese fellow citizen, Junto Nakatani, is looking to get into the band along with Inoue as well as has actually won headlines in 3 branches. While they are actually still separated by a division, can they fulfill in the ring next year?In response to some of these pressing inquiries, Mike Coppinger and Scar Parkinson have some answers.Don’ t be shocked if …
Sebastian Fundora beats Errol Spence Jr.Fundora and Spence are slated to comply with in very early 2025, resources informed ESPN, in what will certainly be actually Spence’s very first fight since he was taken apart by Crawford in July 2023. The fight will likewise be actually Spence’s very first at 154 extra pounds after battling at welterweight each of his job. Between the stagnation, new body weight training class and also the tremendous punishment he preserved in his final battle, Spence needs to be counted as an underdog vs.
Fundora.Fundora is a difficult enemy for virtually any sort of fighter as revealed by his March headline triumph over Tim Tszyu. Clearly, Fundora picked up from his 1st profession reduction– a KO vs. Brian Mendoza in a significant distress last April– and made a decision to utilize his remarkable height and meet more.At 6-foot-5 1/2 with an 80-inch scope, Fundora possesses otherworldly size for a 154-pounder.
Naturally, Spence can not be actually passed over nevertheless he’s achieved in the sporting activity. He was a staple of the pound-for-pound checklist for many years and also is among the most effective welterweights of recent ten years.– CoppingerDon’t be actually surprised if … Regis Prograis rejects Jack Catterall a KO winJack Catterall, above, needs a success over Regis Prograis on Saturday to proceed his pursuit for that evasive globe label.
Sign Robinson/Matchroom Boxing/Getty ImagesCatterall said to ESPN recently he believes he resides in the kind of his life, as well as based on his final day trip– a consensual selection gain past unquestioned champion Josh Taylor– it is actually hard to assert with the English competitor. Catterall needs to be actually a world champ currently, after a disputable split-decision loss to Taylor in 2022, however a triumph over Prograis is most likely to give him another shot at glory in 2025. That desire could possibly fire Catterall to a draw Prograis, whom might have knowledge on his side as a two-time world champ, but he runs out form and at 35 can also run out time.
His latest efficiencies propose Prograis could be on the descending slope.Editor’s Picks2 RelatedPrograis went through a landslide selection loss to Devin Haney in December after he was actually knocked down in Round 3 as well as lost every round in the courts’ directories. To massage sodium right into the cut for Prograis, he had the ignominy of breaking the CompuBox record for fewest strikes landed in a 12-round championship bout along with 36. He was additionally uninspired in a split-decision gain Danielito Zorrilla in June 2023, in an underwhelming homecoming battle in New Orleans.But Prograis is tough, as well as will be encouraged by the need to make a large efficiency to restore his job.
In 2019, when he was at his optimal, Prograis took Taylor to aspects in a difficult planet label unification match loss worldwide Boxing Super Series final, and that sturdiness is likely to refuse Catterall a halt gain before his home enthusiasts at the brand new Co-Op Live field in Manchester.As sharp as Catterall’s efficiencies have actually been recently, he is actually not a distinguished finisher. Considering that October 2017, Catterall has won through interruption merely 3 times, all against rivals with dual or perhaps triple-digit beats on their record (Kevin McCauley had 163 reductions when they battled in March 2018) as well as a points choice seems a likely result.– ParkinsonDon’t be stunned if … Shakur Stevenson faces William Zepeda in February’s Riyadh Time cardShakur Stevenson, left behind, won an unanimous selection over Artem Harutyunyan to keep the WBC lightweight globe label in July.
Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesTurki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Amusement Authorization, is actually considering a major memory card for Feb. 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and also one battle that would definitely match on such a show will be actually Shakur vs. Zepeda.
The match has actually resided in the benefit months, with Stevenson aligned for a fight against Cordina this month while Zepeda prepares to deal with Tevin Farmer on Nov. 16. Farmer, certainly, possesses a similar style to Stevenson as a slick, defensive-minded southpaw.
Stevenson was never capable to overcome Cordina as he went through palm surgical treatment in September. But afterward, Stevenson mentioned he planned to move right into the fight with the stress competitor Zepeda, anyway.Hopefully, the fight comes to success, but first, Zepeda will need to have to look excellent yet again, and this time around the enemy (Farmer) bodies to show a sterner problem.– CoppingerDon’t be startled if … Naoya Inoue encounters Junto Nakatani in a megafight next yearNaoya Inoue, above, has succeeded world headlines in four branch, consisting of the undisputed champion at bantamweight and also junior featherweight.
AP Photo/Hiro KomaeAn Inoue-Nakatani match isn’t simply, possibly, the greatest match in Eastern past history. It is actually additionally some of the best matches that can be helped make in every of boxing.Nakatani lastly crashed ESPN’s pound-for-pound listing recently with another prevailing title self defense at 118 extra pounds. And also it is actually very clear there is actually no much bigger challenge out there for “The Beast” than his own countryman.Nakatani possesses the size, power and also approach to offer Inoue his toughest match however, or even defeat him outright.
Such a match at the Tokyo Dome – where 55,000 individuals found Inoue defeat Luis Nery in May– for Inoue’s recognized 122-pound champion will certainly create huge business.First, Inoue will definitely fight Australia’s Sam Goodman on Dec. 24 in Tokyo before a feasible USA yield in the spring season. Afterwards?
Our experts can find Inoue fight his 1st pound-for-pound enemy yet.– CoppingerDon’t be startled if … the rematch between Rafael Espinoza as well as Robeisy Ramirez produces yet another battle of the year candidateRafael Espinoza, right, defeated Robeisy Ramirez in a battle of the year candidate back in December to gain the WBO light planet title. Mikey Williams/Top RankThe last opportunity these 2 fulfilled, it produced a mystery, along with each fighters checking out the canvass in one of the greatest matches of 2023, thus anticipate one more timeless clash on Dec.
7. Espinoza generated an upset over Ramirez after going into the match under the radar. His volume of blows was crucial, specifically late on, to gain a majority decision and also gain the WBO featherweight headline.
Espinoza, 30, then satisfied again in a 1st protection fourth-round KO of Sergio Chirino in June.Two-time Olympic gold champion Ramirez should generate something various to vindicate the loss, which makes this match such an interesting possibility. Ramirez, 30, has actually considering that twinkled in a fight in June, as he secured a Round 7 TKO get Brandon Leon Benitez.Espinoza’s elevation (6-1), the tallest world lightweight champ in past, will definitely again be actually a specifying factor in this match. Can Ramirez enter Espinoza’s selection with his slick capabilities?
He fell Espinoza in Sphere 5 in December, prior to going to the canvas himself as the volume of blows took its cost in the final round.The rematch has all the elements for yet another standard.– Parkinson.