.Oct 24, 2024, 08:08 AM ET There was a chance Sebastian Fundora would certainly experience Tim Tszyu in his following fight, a rematch of in 2013’s grisly decision victory, yet along with Tszyu shedding through TKO to Bakhram Murtazaliev on Saturday, Fundora possesses his eyes on a different challenger: Errol Spence Jr.Spence, a previous welterweight champion, have not dealt with because his ninth-round TKO reduction to Terence Crawford in July 2023. Thereafter, Spence possessed cataract surgery in January. While the match hasn’t formally been introduced, there is actually an opportunity they are going to combat early next year.
May Fundora make the most of the option and defeat Spence?Shakur Stevenson was planned to face Joe Cordina this month however suffered a trauma to his right hand in the course of training that called for surgical operation. Currently Stevenson’s searching for a new enemy– potentially a leading five competitor– for February in a Riyadh Period card.Jack Catterall and also Regis Prograis require claim victories when they experience one another on Saturday, however can they get it? Rafael Espinoza drew a dismayed success over Robeisy Ramirez last December in some of the most effective matches of the year.
Can easily they create yet another must-see fight in the rematch?One of the most ideal pound-for-pound fighters, Naoya Inoue, has actually succeeded planet labels in four body weight courses as well as appears hard to beat. But his Japanese compatriot, Junto Nakatani, is trying to enter the ring along with Inoue and also has won headlines in 3 divisions. While they are actually still separated by a department, can easily they comply with in the ring upcoming year?In action to a few of these pushing inquiries, Mike Coppinger and Chip Parkinson have some answers.Don’ t be startled if …
Sebastian Fundora defeats Errol Spence Jr.Fundora and Spence are slated to meet in very early 2025, resources said to ESPN, in what are going to be Spence’s 1st match because he was actually taken down through Crawford in July 2023. The bout will additionally be actually Spence’s first at 154 pounds after battling at welterweight each one of his occupation. Between the lack of exercise, brand-new body weight lesson and the tremendous punishment he maintained in his last struggle, Spence needs to be actually mattered as a longshot vs.
Fundora.Fundora is a tricky enemy for basically any sort of fighter as confirmed by his March headline victory over Tim Tszyu. Accurately, Fundora profited from his initial profession reduction– a KO vs. Brian Mendoza in a major distress last April– as well as made a decision to use his enormous height and also meet more.At 6-foot-5 1/2 with an 80-inch grasp, Fundora has otherworldly dimension for a 154-pounder.
Naturally, Spence can not be actually counted out it goes without saying he’s completed in the sporting activity. He was a staple of the pound-for-pound listing for many years as well as is just one of the most ideal welterweights of the past one decade.– CoppingerDon’t be surprised if … Regis Prograis refutes Port Catterall a KO winJack Catterall, above, needs to have a triumph over Regis Prograis on Saturday to proceed his journey for that elusive world label.
Sign Robinson/Matchroom Boxing/Getty ImagesCatterall said to ESPN last week he thinks he resides in the type of his lifestyle, and based on his last trip– a consensual selection sway past recognized champ Josh Taylor– it is challenging to argue along with the English opponent. Catterall must be actually a globe champion by now, after a debatable split-decision loss to Taylor in 2022, yet a triumph over Prograis is probably to provide him another shot at delight in 2025. That need might fire Catterall to a get Prograis, whom could have expertise on his side as a two-time world champion, but he runs out type and also at 35 can additionally run out opportunity.
His most recent functionalities suggest Prograis could be on the descending slope.Editor’s Picks2 RelatedPrograis suffered a grand slam decision loss to Devin Haney in December after he was defeated in Round 3 and also dropped every cycle in the judges’ directories. To scrub sodium in to the cut for Prograis, he had the ignominy of cracking the CompuBox record for least hits landed in a 12-round champion fight along with 36. He was actually also lackluster in a split-decision sway Danielito Zorrilla in June 2023, in an underwhelming homecoming match in New Orleans.But Prograis is difficult, as well as will definitely be actually motivated due to the necessity to produce a large functionality to restore his job.
In 2019, when he was at his peak, Prograis took Taylor to aspects in an arduous globe label unification match loss worldwide Punching Super Collection last, and also durability is likely to reject Catterall a stoppage win before his home enthusiasts at the new Co-Op Live arena in Manchester.As pointy as Catterall’s functionalities have actually been actually lately, he is actually certainly not a well-known finisher. Considering that Oct 2017, Catterall has won by discontinuance simply 3 opportunities, all against challengers along with dual or perhaps triple-digit beats on their file (Kevin McCauley had 163 reductions when they battled in March 2018) and also a factors selection seems a likely end result.– ParkinsonDon’t be startled if … Shakur Stevenson deals with William Zepeda in February’s Riyadh Period cardShakur Stevenson, left, succeeded a consentaneous choice over Artem Harutyunyan to keep the WBC light in weight globe headline in July.
Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesTurki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Home entertainment Authority, is actually considering a major memory card for Feb. 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and one match that would undoubtedly match on such a series will be actually Shakur vs. Zepeda.
The struggle has actually been in the help months, with Stevenson aligned for a fight versus Cordina this month while Zepeda readies to experience Tevin Farmer on Nov. 16. Farmer, obviously, has a similar type to Stevenson as a slick, defensive-minded southpaw.
Stevenson was actually never able to eliminate Cordina as he undertook hand surgical operation in September. However subsequently, Stevenson mentioned he intended to move right into the match with the stress fighter Zepeda, anyway.Hopefully, the battle pertains to accomplishment, but first, Zepeda will need to appear impressive however again, as well as this time around the opponent (Farmer) amounts to provide a sterner problem.– CoppingerDon’t be amazed if … Naoya Inoue experiences Junto Nakatani in a megafight next yearNaoya Inoue, above, has actually won world headlines in 4 branch, featuring the indisputable championship at bantamweight as well as junior featherweight.
AP Photo/Hiro KomaeAn Inoue-Nakatani fight isn’t only, probably, the greatest match in Japanese record. It’s additionally some of the most effective battles that can be created with all of boxing.Nakatani eventually collapsed ESPN’s pound-for-pound checklist recently along with yet another prevailing title defense at 118 pounds. And it’s very clear there’s no much bigger challenge out there for “The Beast” than his own countryman.Nakatani possesses the measurements, power as well as method to give Inoue his most difficult fight yet, if not beat him outright.
Such a match at the Tokyo Dome – where 55,000 folks observed Inoue defeat Luis Nery in May– for Inoue’s undeniable 122-pound championship will undoubtedly generate large business.First, Inoue will certainly deal with Australia’s Sam Goodman on Dec. 24 in Tokyo just before an achievable united state profit in the spring season. Afterwards?
Our experts might see Inoue battle his initial pound-for-pound enemy yet.– CoppingerDon’t be actually startled if … the rematch between Rafael Espinoza and Robeisy Ramirez makes one more fight of the year candidateRafael Espinoza, straight, beat Robeisy Ramirez in a fight of the year candidate back in December to win the WBO lightweight planet title. Mikey Williams/Top RankThe final time these pair of satisfied, it produced a mystery, with both competitors checking out the canvass in one of the very best battles of 2023, therefore assume yet another timeless clash on Dec.
7. Espinoza generated a distressed over Ramirez after entering the fight under the radar. His volume of strikes was actually critical, especially behind time on, to make a majority decision and also succeed the WBO featherweight title.
Espinoza, 30, then pleased once again in a first defense fourth-round KO of Sergio Chirino in June.Two-time Olympic gold medalist Ramirez must create one thing different to vindicate the loss, which makes this match such an exciting prospect. Ramirez, 30, has because glimmered in a match in June, as he closed a Sphere 7 TKO draw Brandon Leon Benitez.Espinoza’s height (6-1), the tallest planet lightweight champion in record, will certainly again be a defining think about this fight. Can Ramirez get in Espinoza’s range with his slick skills?
He dropped Espinoza in Sphere 5 in December, prior to seeing the canvas themself as the volume of punches took its toll in the last round.The rematch possesses all the ingredients for an additional classic.– Parkinson.