LAS VEGAS — With fight week nearly here, the full card for Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman has been set — and it comes with one notable change at the top of the undercard.
The main event remains the same: WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) puts his title on the line against former unified welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (31-1, 23 KOs) on Saturday, March 28 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, live on Prime Video Pay-Per-View.
The Champion Up Close
When we first covered this fight back in February, Fundora was still building his reputation as one of the most physically imposing champions in the sport. Now heading into his third title defense, that reputation is no longer a question — it’s a fact.
At 6-foot-5½ with a reach to match, the 28-year-old southpaw from Coachella, California is a nightmare matchup for anyone at 154 pounds. He won the WBC title in a split decision upset over Tim Tszyu, then left no doubt in the rematch with a seventh-round TKO. His record of 23-1-1 with 15 knockouts speaks to a fighter who comes to finish, and while Thurman’s experience and power make this a legitimate challenge, Fundora enters as the clear favorite. As he himself has said, everyone underestimates him — and he’s made a habit of proving people wrong.
Don’t Count Thurman Out
While Fundora enters as the clear favorite, it would be a mistake to count Thurman out entirely. The 37-year-old has been in the fire before — his wars with Danny Garcia, Shawn Porter, and Manny Pacquiao were the kind of fights that defined an era at 147 pounds. Thurman knows how to weather pressure, find his spots, and dig deep when the moment demands it.
If there is one thing experience provides, it’s the ability to stay calm when things get uncomfortable. Fundora’s length and pressure will be a new test for him at 154, but if Thurman can get into a rhythm and land that right hand consistently, this fight has every ingredient to be a war rather than the one-sided affair some are predicting.
Co-Main Shakeup: Sanchez Out, Tellez-Mendoza Steps In
Frank Sanchez had to pull out of the IBF heavyweight title eliminator against Richard Torrez Jr. with an injury, removing what would have been the most high-profile undercard bout. Stepping in as the new co-feature is a compelling super welterweight showdown between Cuban rising star Yoenis Tellez (11-1, 8 KOs) and hard-hitting veteran Brian Mendoza (23-4, 17 KOs).
Both fighters share a near-identical profile — same height at 5’10”, elite knockout rates above 72%, and both former interim champions. Tellez however holds the edge in reach at 73” to Mendoza’s 70”, and at just 25 years old, he brings a youth advantage over the 32-year-old Mendoza. This is a fight between two fighters who finish. Combined they have 25 knockouts — making it a natural co-main on a card headlined by a championship bout in the same division.
The Rest of the Card
Undefeated top-rated middleweight Yoenli Hernandez and battle-tested U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha duel in a 10-round bout . Hernandez (9-0, 8 KOs) is one of the more exciting young prospects in boxing right now, and Gausha (24-5-1, 12 KOs) is the kind of experienced opponent who can expose a fighter — or help cement a rising star’s legitimacy.
Opening the PPV portion of the show is Elijah Garcia (17-1, 13 KOs), who makes his super middleweight debut against Kevin Newman II (18-3-1, 11 KOs) . Garcia is a 22-year-old from Arizona looking to make a definitive statement in a new division.
Rounding out the card, heavyweight prospect Gurgen Hovhannisyan (9-0, 8 KOs) will face Cesar Navarro (15-3, 13 KOs) in the opener.
What’s at Stake
The 154-pound division is stacked. Vergil Ortiz Jr., Jaron “Boots” Ennis, and a freshly unified Xander Zayas are all waiting in the wings. A Fundora win keeps his reign intact and opens the door to the biggest matchups of his career. A Thurman upset — and it would be one — rewrites the story of both fighters entirely.
Fight week is approaching. We’ll have more coverage as it unfolds.
