In an exciting match on March 22, 2025, Sebastian Fundora successfully retained his unified WBC and WBO junior middleweight titles, defeating Chordale Booker by technical knockout in the fourth round at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Fundora, known for his towering height at 6-foot-5½, leveraged a significant 8½-inch height advantage over Booker, applying relentless pressure throughout the fight with his long southpaw jab.
The bout showcased Fundora’s prowess as he stunned Booker in the third round. In the decisive fourth round, Fundora floored Booker with a series of powerful punches. Despite Booker's attempts to weather the storm, referee Tony Weeks stepped in to halt the contest with just nine seconds remaining in the round.
Fundora, who is already recognized as boxing's tallest champion despite weighing in at just 154 pounds, commented on his performance, saying, “He was moving a lot; I don't think he wanted to trade at all.” This victory marks Fundora’s return after a one-year absence from the ring due to a canceled fight initially scheduled against former champion Errol Spence.
The proposed fight with Spence, originally aimed for October 2024 and later rescheduled for March 29, 2025, was ultimately scrapped, leaving Fundora to take on a less challenging opponent in Booker. Looking ahead, Fundora is now poised for more significant challenges, with undefeated Puerto Rican fighter Xander Zayas lined up as his mandatory opponent for both titles. This fight, anticipated to be a compelling matchup, could take place later this summer if both parties agree.
In addition to Zayas, Fundora has not ruled out a potential unification bout with IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev, which would make for another thrilling contest in the junior middleweight division.
Fundora holds a record of 22 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw, with 15 wins coming by knockout. He first made history last March when he captured the unified titles from Tim Tszyu in a split-decision upset. Remarkably, he accepted that fight on just 11 days' notice when original opponent Keith Thurman was injured.
Known as "The Towering Inferno," Fundora boasts an impressive reach of 80 inches, making him a formidable opponent in the ring. It’s also worth noting that he and his sister Gabriela made history as the first brother-sister duo to both hold full-fledged championship titles in boxing. Gabriela was recently named ESPN's 2024 Women's Fighter of the Year for her remarkable accomplishments in the sport.
On the other side of the ring, Chordale Booker, at 33 years old and fighting out of Stamford, Connecticut, had entered the fight with momentum, having won six consecutive bouts since a first-round knockout loss to Ammo Williams in 2022. Despite his efforts, this bout marked Booker’s first attempt at a world title, and he was unable to capture that coveted belt against the taller and more experienced Fundora.
As Fundora continues his ascent in the boxing world, fans are eager to see what comes next. With dangerous challengers looming, particularly Xander Zayas, it’s clear that the junior middleweight division is heating up, and Fundora's reign will undoubtedly be one of the most talked-about in boxing.
