The WBO has ordered 154-lb champion Sebastian Fundora to defend towards interim champ Terence Crawford subsequent in a unification combat if it occurs. The 2 fighters have 30 days to barter a deal earlier than a handbag bid is ordered.
Crawford’s Focus: Canelo, Not Fundora
Sadly, the WBO’s transfer may be pointless as a result of the possibilities of Crawford and Fundora agreeing to this match are slim to none. Crawford, 36. solely desires the Canelo Alvarez combat at 168 and nothing else. He’s solely on the lookout for huge cash and supposedly “legacy” at this late-career stage. Fundora could be a tough combat for Crawford as a consequence of his immense measurement, energy, excessive work charge, youth, and vitality.
Crawford has gotten outdated, and he’s not the identical fighter at 154 that he was at 147, 140, and 135. The inactivity hasn’t helped.
If Crawford fights Fundora, he may lose, which might smash his possibilities of getting the Canelo golden parachute payday he’s aiming for. He desires that candy retirement money, and Fundora would mess it up. Crawford is a spent, pale star, having exhausted his nuclear gasoline and about to go supernova.
Combating Fundora received’t present Crawford both. Crawford can make more cash preventing Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis than Fundora, however he’s on the lookout for the large rating suddenly towards Canelo. Crawford nonetheless hopes that His Excellency Turki Alalshikh will ship him the Canelo combat, and the Mexican star says he’s open to the deal for the appropriate sum of money.
Fundora could be all flawed for Crawford and would batter him worse than he did Erickson Lubin and Tim Tszyu. Crawford wouldn’t have the ability to depend on successful a cheapo determination by jabbing Fundora like he did towards Israil Madrimov as a result of he’s too brief and will probably be consuming photographs all night time. If it’s a jabbing contest Crawford desires, Fundora will win that simply.
Canelo sees Crawford as an “straightforward” combat, and based mostly on his final efficiency towards Israil Madrimov, he’s acquired an excellent level. Crawford could be a fish out of the water at 168, and he doesn’t look so scorching at 154, both.
So except Crawford modifications his thoughts, the World Boxing Group should discover one other contender to problem Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs).
Fundora will vacate his WBO if Crawford agrees to this match. The 6’6″ WBC/WBO champion Fundora plans to combat Errol Spence subsequent. That’s a extra winnable combat and would make Fundora, 26, more cash than a match towards Crawford. Spence is an even bigger star than Crawford, and a combat between him and Fundora would promote on PPV.
