Renowned Boxing Promoter Claims Keith Thurman’s Replacement for Tim Tszyu Fight ‘Defies’ Boxing Rule

Boxing is one of the most unpredictable sports. Anything can happen at any point. However, this time around, the uncertainty seems to have spilled outside the boxing ring. In a recent pinch, Keith Thurman pulled out of his highly anticipated return fight against Australia’s Tim Tszyu. And Lou DiBella isn’t happy about Thurman’s replacement, Sebastian Fundora!

Despite agreeing to fight ‘The Soul Taker’ on a twelve-day notice, one of Fundora’s past fights seems to have ticked off the legendary boxing promoter. Going into the March 30 fight, Fundora is coming off a seventh-round KO loss to Brian Mendoza. Even worse, the fight happened nearly a year ago, in April 2023. So, here’s what DiBella said on social media today!

Tim Tszyu has technically proved he is better than Fundora

It’s worth mentioning that the fight between Thurman and Tszyu was being held at a catchweight of 155 pounds, and there weren’t any titles on the line. However, in the newly scheduled fight, Tszyu’s WBO super welterweight and the vacant WBC titles are on the line. So, it didn’t make sense to DiBella. But why?

Interestingly, Tszyu defeated Mendoza, Fundora’s last opponent, in his last fight in October 2023. So, DiBella wrote, “No issue among #boxing media/fans that a kid, off for a year after being SLEPT COLD (by a guy who Tszyu has since beaten up), is fighting for 2 MAJOR WORLD TITLE BELTS, on PPV, in a fight that defies the typical #boxing rule.”

Also Read: “Thurman, Charlo, Zerafa, Lubin”: Tim Tszyu Reacts to Keith Thurman Injury ‘Pull Out’, Confirms Fight Is Still On

However, in a later tweet, DiBella clarified that Fundora, as an opponent of Tszyu, isn’t the problem. Rather, DiBella doesn’t think Fundora should be sanctioned as the opponent for two world title belts. Meanwhile, Tszyu has reacted to ‘The Towering Inferno’ Fundora as his next opponent.

Tszyu claims it took him “10 seconds” to accept the fight 

Following the update about Thurman’s pullout, Tszyu appeared in an interview with Fight Hype. He was asked about having the opportunity to unify the titles like his father, Kostya Tszyu, once did. In response, the WBO super welterweight champion claimed, “I haven’t really thought about it. But it is cool. Unifications don’t happen often in boxing. So that’s the next job for me.”

Subsequently, when asked about when he found out about Thurman’s injury, Tszyu revealed that he heard about it last night. He added, “Yes, it (the withdrawal) made me pissed off. But the focus shifts and the show goes on, simple. They told me Fundora, and I said, ‘Yes, done!’” 

Despite having to switch opponents just twelve days from the fight, that too for his title, Tim Tszyu seems unfazed. However, Lou DiBella isn’t exactly on board with the decision. Even still, if not Fundora, who? Do you agree with DiBella’s statement? 

Read More: “The Leading Cause of Injuries Is Poor Ticket Sale”: Keith Thurman’s Pull Out Just 12 Days Before Tim Tszyu Fight Makes Fans Angry