Tag Archives: Jeison Rosario

Brian Mendoza Shocks Sebastian Fundora to Take WBC’s Interim Super Middleweight Belt in KO Upset

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Brian Mendoza has pulled off a stunning upset…

With a couple of devastating punches, the 29-year-old Cuban American boxer sent his career to new heights with a knockout of Sebastian Fundora on Saturday night.

Brian MendozaA thunderous left hook followed by an overhand right sent Fundora to the canvas to give Mendoza a seventh-round KO win at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Despite being a significant underdog, the boxer from Albuquerque, New Mexico was able to elevate his career with the stunning upset victory.

“I always said the dream wasn’t to come this far,” Mendoza told reporters in his post-fight news conference. “It was to accomplish the goal, become a champion.”

Mendoza (22-2, 16 KOs) picked up the WBC‘s interim super middleweight belt and handed Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) his first professional defeat.

Up until that point, the taller fighter (6-foot-5½) out of Coachella, California, was seemingly in control. Across all three scorecards, Fundora won every round except for the first round on judge Nathan Palmer‘s sheet.

According to CompuBox, Fundora threw more punches than Mendoza in every single round and outlanded him in all but the first. However, Mendoza wasn’t rattled by Fundora’s success.

“You have to kill me to get to me to stop,” Mendoza said in his post-fight news conference. “None of those shots, even when he was snapping my head back with those uppercuts, I was never even flashed or dazed or anything like that. I said, ‘It’s OK, I’m going to eat these shots, but I’m going to keep coming.'”

Before last year, Mendoza had lost two of his last three fights, including a 2021 loss to Jesus Ramos. But the tide in his career started to turn with a win last November against Jeison Rosario, a former champion in the 154-pound division.

On Saturday, Fundora left a slow, southpaw jab out a little too long, leaving Mendoza a window to land the massive left hook that led to the knockout win.

“For one second I turned off but I guess that’s boxing, right?” Fundora said afterwards. “It happens. You just get caught with a punch.”

Sebastian Fundora Defeats Erickson Lubin to Claim Interim Junior Middleweight Title

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Sebastian Fundora is celebrating a big win…

The 24-year-old Cuban American professional boxer, known as “The Towering Inferno,” outlasted Erickson Lubin to claim the interim junior middleweight.

Sebastian Fundora

Fundora had dazzled with his height to earn the No. 5 spot in ESPN’s ranking, but he had never been truly tested before the fight Saturday against Lubin in Las Vegas.

In a fierce clash that saw both boxers hit the canvas, Fundora prevailed when Lubin’s trainer, Kevin Cunningham, stopped the bout after Round 9 due to Lubin’s grotesquely swollen face.

The damage accumulated over nine rounds in a fight that kicked into high gear after Fundora (19-0-1, 13 KOs) floored Lubin with a right hand in the closing seconds of Round 2.

Lubin (24-2, 17 KOs) rallied to score a knockdown of Fundora with a flurry of punches in the waning moments of Round 7 and was ahead on two scorecards 85-84 when the fight was stopped (the other score was 85-85).

“I got hit with a good punch and I didn’t feel like I needed to get hit again so I took a knee to get a little breather in and I recovered,” Fundora said.

“I think this was probably my best performance ever. It was a back-and-forth fight. … The uppercut was landing like no other. It lands most of the time with everybody. Southpaw. Right hand. It doesn’t matter. Once I find that, I feel like the job’s done.”

With the victory, Fundora expects a future shot at the WBC title currently held by Jermell Charlo, who meets Brian Castano in a rematch for the undisputed championship on May 14. All of the fighters are aligned with Premier Boxing Champions, making that fight easy to make.

“I see Charlo winning the fight against Castano,” said Fundora, who defeated Sergio Garcia via decision in December. “I feel like he’ll be too strong for Castano the second time.”

Lubin was just 21 when he challenged Charlo for the WBC title in 2017, a fight he lost via first-round knockout. He rebounded with wins over Ishe Smith, Terrell Gausha and, most recently, a sixth-round KO of former unified champion Jeison Rosario in June.

The 26-year-old from Orlando, Florida, was rated No. 4 by ESPN at 154 pounds and figures to land another meaningful fight in the near future.

“I think it was a good decision for Kevin Cunningham to stop the fight,” Fundora said. “[Lubin’s] face shifted from Round 1 to Round 9. It completely morphed, and there was a lot of blood coming out.

“He’s a tough fighter. He was in the game the whole time, but there’s no need to get hurt that much.”

Fundora, meanwhile, will wait to see who emerges between Charlo and Castano.

Jeison Rosario to Fight Julian”J Rock” Williams for World Title

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Jeison Rosario is hoping to take the belt in his first world title fight…

The 24-year-old Dominican professional boxer is set to take on unified junior middleweight world titlist Julian “J Rock” Williams in Philadelphia next month.

Jeison Rosario

Williams will defend his two 154-pound belts against Rosario ‎in the main event of a Premier Boxing Championscard on January 18 (Fox, 8 p.m. ET) at Temple University‘s Liacouras Center, according to PBC.

‎In the co-feature, rising junior lightweight prospect Chris Colbertwill fight former world titlist Jezreel Corralesin a 10-round bout.

In his second shot at a world title, ‎Williams traveled to Jarrett Hurd’s home area in Fairfax, Virginia, in May and won a unanimous decision, taking the belts in an action-packed contender for fight of the year.

They were initially supposed to meet in a fall rematch, but Hurd ultimately decided not to go through with the fight.

That pushed Williams (27-1-1, 16 KOs), 29,‎ back to January against Rosario.

‎”There’s no better way for him to follow that up than by defending his titles in front of his hometown fans in Philadelphia,” said TGB Promotions president Tom Brown, whose company is promoting the card. “The great fight fans in Philadelphia are in for fireworks because Jeison Rosario hits hard and he comes to pull off the spectacular upset, and he only needs one punch to do so.”

‎Williams will be fighting in Philadelphia for the first time in nine years.

“This is going to be great having a homecoming fight back in Philadelphia,” Williams said. “I’m excited for the crowd that’ll be at the Liacouras Center and to be back fighting on Fox. I haven’t fought in Philadelphia since 2011, so I can’t wait to get back in the ring in front of all my people.

“Rosario is a good fighter and I’m very familiar with him. I know he packs a solid punch and that he’s been on a tear ever since his lone loss to Nathaniel Gallimore. So he’ll be a stiff test for me, but I’m prepared to win. Most of all, I’m just excited to defend my titles and as a unified champion in front of my hometown crowd.”

‎Rosario 19-1-1, 13 KOs), who is Miami-based, will take an eight-fight unbeaten streak into his first world title fight.

“I’m very thankful and excited for this opportunity,” Rosario said. “I’m going to take advantage of it. I plan to bring these titles back to the Dominican Republic by knockout, but if I have to go 12 rounds, I’m ready. I learned a lot from my first defeat, and it will never happen again. I also want to thank PBC, my promoter Sampson Boxingand my manager Caesar Mercedesfor putting me in this position. I can’t wait to make the most of it.”

Colbert (13-0, 5 KOs) is one of boxing’s top prospects. He’s coming off a sensational one-punch knockout of Miguel Beltran Jr. in the first round in September.

“This is the stage that I’ve been waiting for,” Colbert said. “It’s time to show out. I’m going to show the world what the hype behind me is all about and prove that I’m a soon-to-be champion of the world. All I know about Corrales is that he’s a former champion who’s going to bring his A-game, but I’m looking to get him out of there. I’m excited to be back in Philly and I’m definitely going to have my crew and fans coming down from New York to show support.”

Corrales (23-3, 9 KOs), 28, of Panama, will look to rebound after a split-decision defeat to Ladarius Miller in July.

“Colbert is a good fighter but he’s not ready for what I can do in the ring,” Corrales said. “I’m going to show that I’m still one of the best in the division. This is a great opportunity to prove that.”