With former WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu out for a extended time, the WBO ordered a purse bid for Terrance Crawford vs newly crowned champion Sebastian Fundora. The WBO mandates that a 20-day negotiating window between Fundora and Crawford will start Friday April 5th. Tszyu holds a rematch clause with Fundora, promotor Sampson Lewkowicz obviously feels empowered to delay it for now. Saying at Saturday night’s post-fight news conference that Tszyu needs time to “heal up.” “Tszyu will get the rematch, but not at this moment – not when we need to maximize the money for Fundora,” Lewkowicz told reporters in a side session later Saturday night. “Fundora deserves it.”
One guy who could get in the way of this fight happening, former unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr (28-1, 22 KOs)! He placed his bid into the Fundora sweepstakes. He came into the ring after the fight challenging the new crowned champion. “It’s time to get it on,” Spence said. “He got a pretty good height, but we’ll see. We’ll break him down like we always do.”
"You said you would like to fight the winner of this fight. Well here he is, what do you have to say?" – @JordanPlant_
#FundoraSpence pic.twitter.com/9hk8oTUZND
— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) March 31, 2024
Opting to fight Spence Jr. instead of Crawford could result in Fundora being stripped for the WBO belt. He could offer to relinquish his WBO belt in that letter as well. Making a fight with Spence Jr. would be for the WBC junior middleweight belt. That idea seems to be more ideal for Lewkowicz who feels like Spence Jr. is a bigger draw than Crawford. “Crawford cannot sell out (a crowd of) 90,000 people in Dallas. Everybody waits … why not Crawford? Let him wait one time, if not twice, and then we’ll go.”
🗣️“Well give the rematch but NOT at this moment! Now I need to maximize the most money for my fighter!”- Sampson Lewkowicz
What fight would you like to see next for Sebastian Fundora?
🎥: https://t.co/oFu3Rh4OK0 #boxing #tszyufundora pic.twitter.com/oQIUrJftVP
— Fight Hub TV (@FightHubTV) April 2, 2024
Crawford made a response to Spence Jr. trying to set up a fight with Fundora, implying that he has to get behind him if he wants any action. The question of who will be fighting for the belts will be settled by the end of this month.
You lost sir gotta work yo way back up
— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) March 31, 2024
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
