Terence Crawford’s administration has requested for and been granted a 10-day extension by the WBO to proceed talks with 154-lb champion Sebastian Fundora. They’ve till October tenth to barter a deal earlier than a handbag bid is ordered.
(Credit score: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
The WBO had already ordered Fundora-Crawford, however they wanted extra time. Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) holds the WBO interim and WBA title and needs the battle. He’s had no success getting the title shot in opposition to unified tremendous middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez. So, preventing Fundora is an efficient possibility for Crawford.
The WBO experiences that Crawford’s crew contacted them and requested for a 10-day extension on the negotiations on September thirtieth, and it was granted. “Sebastian Fundora’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, ratified the petition by electronic mail, agreeing to the extension.”
If Crawford defeats WBC and WBO junior middleweight champion Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), he’ll maintain three of the 4 154-lb titles. He would solely want the IBF belt to change into the undisputed champion. That may make Crawford a three-division world champion. He beforehand captured all 4 belts at 140 and 147.
Crawford received the WBA junior middleweight title on August third, defeating champion Israil Madrimov by a slender 12-round unanimous choice in a Riyadh Season occasion in Los Angeles. That was a battle that Crawford simply might have misplaced if Madrimov had fought extra aggressively in rounds 10 by means of 12.
Fundora will battle lots tougher than Madrimov, and it may very well be a tougher battle for the 37-year-old Crawford. The 6’6″ Fundora’s top, attain, and youth will make life troublesome for Crawford. Fundora is 26, and coming off a 12 spherical break up choice win over Tim Tszyu on March thirtieth in Las Vegas.
If Crawford can regain the shape he confirmed in opposition to Errol Spence in 2023, he’s obtained likelihood of beating Fundora. Nonetheless, Crawford seems to be older now, and he didn’t look anyplace close to nearly as good in opposition to Madrimov as he had in opposition to Spence or any of the opposite fighters he had fought throughout his profession at 147, 140, and 135.
Crawford nonetheless seemed puffy across the face in the course of the Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois card on September twenty first in London. Madrimov did some injury to Crawford.
A loss for Crawford in opposition to Fundora will finish his hopes of getting a battle in opposition to Canelo. There isn’t a lot likelihood of that battle occurring anyway, however a defeat in opposition to Fundora can be the ultimate nail in Crawford’s hopes.
