WEEKEND
Young middleweight contender Sebastian Fundora will face Carlos Ocampo on Saturday in Carson, California. Also on Saturday, in London, Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn will continue their famous fathers rivalry.
CHRIS EUBANK (32-2, 23 KOs) VS. CONOR BENN (21-0, 14 KOs)
- When: Saturday, October 8
- Time: 2pm ET / 11am PT (7pm BST)
- Where: Arena O2, London
- TV / Stream: DAZN
- Assignment: 157 pounds (light weight)
- Under threat: No main title
- Pound-for-pound rating: Not available
- The odds: Eubank 2-1 favorite (multi-store average)
- Also on the card: Felix Cash vs. Connor Coyle, the middleweights; Galal Yafai vs. Gohan Rodriguez Garciam flyweight; Mary Romero vs. Ellie Scotney, featherweight
- Guess: Benn UD
- Story: Eubank and Benn are going to pick up their father – Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn – left in the 1990s, when they were involved in a series of memorable fight movies. Elder Benn stopped Eubank in 1990 and they painted in 1993. Their sons have made their own niches in the sport. Losing Eubank is said to have lost his two biggest teamfights (decisive against Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves) but also has some quality wins but has won his last six games, including an impressive match unanimous decision on Liam Williams last February. The 33-year-old from Brighton, England, is a natural middleweight who has fought in super-middleweight, which should give him a size advantage on Saturday. Benn has never weighed more than 148 ½ pounds. The 26-year-old from Essex, England, has enjoyed an impressive winning streak against solid opponents over the past few years, including Samuel Vargas (TKO 1), Adrian Granados (UD), Chris Algieri (KO 4) and Chris van Heerden (TKO 2). The van Heerden fighting takes place in April. He has the ability to compete with Eubank. The question is whether he has the size.
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA (19-0-1, 13 rounds) vs CARLOS OCAMPO (34-1, 22 rounds)
- When: Saturday, October 8
- Time: 10pm ET / 7pm PT
- Where: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California
- TV / Stream: Showtime
- Assignment: Young middleweight (154 pounds limit)
- Under threat: No main title
- Pound-for-pound rating: Not available
- The odds: NA
- Also on the card: Carlos Adames vs Juan Macias Montiel, middleweight; Fernando Martinez vs Jerwin Ancajas, the smallest division (for Martinez’s IBF title); Egidijus Kavaliauskas vs Mykal Fox, welterweight division
- Guess: Fundora UD
- Story: Fundora will try to maintain its momentum after the breakout Ninth-round knockout of compatriot Erickson Lubin in April, it proved that the 6-foot-5 154-pounder was more than just a physical oddball and made him the No. 1 contender for Jermell Charlo’s WBC title. The 24-year-old from Southern California stood up from his 7th round knock to score a stunning equalizer. He could be one or two wins away from a title. Ocampo failed in his bid to become the welterweight champion when he was stopped at the end of Round 1 against older Errol Spence Jr in 2018 in Frisco, Texas, his first match in the United States. The 26-year-old Mexican has risen to average after the defeat and has won 12 straight games, mostly against a second-place opponent in Mexico. He last fought in June, when he stopped Vicente Martin Rodriguez in a round in Anaheim, California. Ocampo was ranked 13th by the WBC.
FIGHT THIS WEEK
FRIDAY
- Xu Can vs. Brandon Leon Benitez, featherweight, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV)
SATURDAY
- Dennis Hogan vs. Sam Eggington, middleweight competitors, Newcastle, Australia (no US TV).
