SEBASTIAN FUNDORA has been ordered to face Terence Crawford in this year’s super welterweight unification bout.
Fundora currently holds the WBO and WBC titles thanks to a bloody split decision win over Tim Tszyu in March. Meanwhile, the newcomer to the division is Crawford, who is the WBA champion following his win over Israil Madrimov in LA earlier this month.
WBO chairman Luis Batista Salas has now emailed both sides that they have 30 days to reach an agreement to unify the three belts. If they cannot do so, an auction will take place.
Under WBO rules, either side can request a bid at any point during the 30-day negotiation period, which begins on August 28.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 30: WBO middleweight champion Tim Tszyu (left) takes a punch from Sebastian Fundora during the ninth round of their title fight at T-Mobile Arena on March 30, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fundora won Tszyu’s title and the vacant WBC title by split decision. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
Crawford, a former WBO welterweight, welterweight and lightweight champion, is the first man to get a shot at the Fundora belt thanks to his win over Madrimov, who also won the WBO interim title.
It was thought that Fundora could face Errol Spence Jr before the end of the year but it seems that fight has not progressed much and now Fundora could be the only man who can beat the Texan next.
However, it remains unclear what Crawford, 36, will do next, with a money-making fight with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez still a possibility that he will decide to stay away from Fundora altogether.
