Sebastian Fundora Is a “Tougher” Fight Than Keith Thurman? Tim Tszyu Speaks Up

Fans might have been denied the fun of watching an exciting thriller between Tim Tszyu and Keith Thurman. However, Sebastian Fundora‘s entry as a substitute seems promising enough to make up for Thurman’s absence. On his part, Tszyu appears unperturbed. But he isn’t taking the new opponent lightly either. More so, the equation now seems to have changed. The fight with Keith Thurman was a non-title bout set for 155-pound catchweight. On the other hand, Fundora joins in to stake a claim at the Aussie champion’s light middleweight title.

Last year, ‘The Soul Taker’ had an outstanding run. It began with a knockout victory over Tony Harrison, which made him an interim champion. Subsequently, he defeated Carlos Ocampo and Brian Mendoza. By October, he had become a full-time champion when Jermell Charlo stepped into the ring to fight Canelo Alvarez for the undisputed title. Sebastian Fundora, on the other hand, suffered his first career loss to Brian Mendoza on April 8. He had to, as a result, part with his WBC interim light middleweight belt. So, between Thurman and Fundora, who did he perceive as a more formidable opponent? Tszyu revealed his thoughts while speaking with a bunch of reporters.

Sizing Up: The Tim Tszyu Way

“No, I think Fundora for sure,” replied Tim Tszyu when a reporter asked, “Who do you think is, uh, tougher fight for you?” The latter elaborated that despite Thurman walking out of the fight, many continued to disregard the Aussie champ’s credentials. In fact, ‘One Time’ even referred to Tszyu as a ‘flat-footed Mexican’.

So the reporter said, “Do you think that, uh Fundora stylistically is a tougher fight for you, or do you think it would have been Thurman because of of all his experience and whatnot?” Tim Tszyu replied that he would rate Fundora a bit higher, primarily because of his height and his awkward style of fighting. That makes his task a bit more challenging. Hence, under no circumstances could he disregard the American boxer’s talent.

“You know, like his height, his awkwardness, you know that always presents a tremendous task. You know it’s the what if. How do you get inside? How do you fight him? You know it’s he’s got natural God-given um attributes you know,” said legend Kosta Tszyu‘s son.

There might be some truth in what the Australian champion said.

‘The Towering Inferno’s looming shadow

Keith Thurman, for all the credentials that he carries, has had a very interrupted career during the last six to seven years. Hence, ring rust could have rendered him vulnerable against a heavy-hitting attacker like ‘The Soul Taker’. Sebastian Fundora, on the other hand, has been fairly active. Though he was knocked out by Mendoza, the fact also remains that on the scorecards, he was reportedly ahead of his opponent.

More so, with his title on the line, Tim Tszyu cannot let his guard down against a southpaw like Fundora. The Australian champion hasn’t fought a single left-handed boxer in over ten outings since 2019.

What’s your take? Do you also believe Sebastian Fundora compensated more effectively as an opponent compared to Keith Thurman?

Also Read: “When a Fighter Meets an NBA Player”: Tim Tszyu Facing Off Sebastian Fundora Makes Australian Look Like a ‘Toddler’; Fans Give Wild Response