Undefeated WBO super welterweight champion Tim Tzu (24-0, 17 KOs) defends his title and vacates the WBC belt tonight against Sebastian Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) from T-Mobile. Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sebastian will be a last-minute replacement for Keith Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs), who was injured during training camp and was unable to compete in tonight's event.
Sebastián Fundora is a very tall and tall boxer, standing at 6 feet 6 inches tall with an impressive 80 inch reach.
Despite having that size, Fundora doesn't utilize it properly. He doesn't box on the outside at medium to long range. He would rather fight inside.
If he does that against Tszyu, he will be fighting a battle with himself and allowing Tim to defeat him in the process. Tszyu is a pressure fighter who punishes his opponents with vicious power punches.
Fundora must box strategically on the outside and use his 10-inch reach advantage to control the distance and pace of the fight.
This is easier said than done, as Fundora has struggled to stay on the outside and stay disciplined in his past 22 games, instead fighting in the pocket.
Tim Tze said at yesterday's weigh-in that he is an old-school fighter and is ready for war. This fight could come together as both men like to brawl and are medium to high volume punchers.
Per Compubox, Fundora throws an average of 68.6 punches per round and Tszyu throws an average of 50.6 punches per round. Fundora is a heavy-footed warrior. Tszyu can take advantage of Fundora's mobility by attacking from angles and using the ring.
This is not Tszyu's traditional fighting style, but Fundora's outside boxing can exploit this weakness.
Tszyu is an offensive pressure fighter, but his biggest weakness is his limited defense. He defends his opponent's punches by minimizing his head movements and parrying his opponent's attacks. Fundora is superior in power, and if both decide to attack each other, the stronger puncher will end up winning the exchange.
Fundora will be put to a real test today. Will he be able to withstand Tszyu's power? If he cannot withstand the force, he may be forced to box on the outside to avoid punishment.
Tszyu will need to apply smart pressure and defend effectively against higher volume punchers.
Brian Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) took advantage of Fundora's aggression to punish him and score the knockout, handing Fundora his only loss.
Tszyu likes to attack the body and today he plans to attack a big target. Body attacks will be key to Tim's offensive strategy, slowing down Fundora and ultimately defeating him. If Tim can target the body well and defend effectively, he should win.
