Sebastian Fundora dominates with reach and volume of punches, forcing Keith Thurman to retire in round six after a hard barrage of punches.
WBC super welterweight champion Sebastian Fundora defeated Keith Thurman by technical knockout (TKO) in the sixth round last night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Fundora (24-1-1, 16 knockouts) clearly outclassed the aging Thurman (31-2, 23 knockouts) physically and hit the veteran with a hard right straight in the first round. In round two, another right hand landed that visibly went through Thurman’s legs and left him reeling.
Thurman had major problems with Fundora’s reach throughout the fight and suffered another left uppercut in the fifth round. Fundora stepped up the pressure at the end of the round, launching a flurry of punches and covering Thurman with combinations, with only the bell saving him from an early defeat.
By the sixth round, Thurman’s face was already badly marked. After a sustained attack and continued barrage of punches, the referee finally intervened and stopped the fight while Thurman was still on his feet. The official time of the stoppage: 1:16 minutes of the sixth round.
“We worked very hard for this fight,” said Fundora at the post-fight press conference. “I told him I’ve always looked up to him. He’s definitely a hall-of-famer. I take my hat off to him. That’s exactly why I had to train so hard to prove to the world that I’m the best in the 154-pound limit. I’ve been in these high-level fights that have helped me mature and grow. I’ve always strived for greatness and now I’m here.”
“It was great fun,” added Thurman. “Sebastian was definitely well prepared. He hits a lot of hands. The uppercut that caught me and cut me open was an unusual punch, I’ve never been hit like that before. The man brings it in the ring. He’s an outstanding champion and I can walk away with my head held high because I lost to a great young fighter.”