Terence Crawford and Sebastian Fundora are stuck in each other’s sights.
Despite both expressing purposeful fights against other opponents, they are now being forced to work out terms for a junior middleweight title consolidation bout. The Ring confirmed that the WBO had ordered a 30-day negotiation period to reach an agreement and avoid a purse hearing.
“Please be advised that the parties herein have thirty (30) days after issuance … to reach an agreement,” WBO Championship Committee Chairman Luis Batista-Salas said in an official letter released by The Ring was obtained. “If an agreement is not reached within the time frame stated herein, a purse bid will be ordered.”
The minimum bid is $200,000 under such a scenario. Crawford would be entitled to the favorable ending given his ‘Super Champion’ designation, even though Fundora holds the full title. Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) won the interim WBO 154-pound title and the full WBA belt in an Aug. 3 decision over Israil Madrimov. Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) holds the WBO and WBC titles outright.
Crawford is a free promotional agent and is represented by legal counsel Harrison Whitman. Fundora is with Sampson Boxing, although TGB Promotions’ Tom Brown is listed as the point of contact for negotiations. TGB is the promoter of record for all Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) events.
The ordered fight was an extension of a decision applied by the sanctioning body under the conditional provisions his approval for Fundora to challenge the previously undefeated titleholder Tim Tszyu. Fundora won their blood-soaked March 30 Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Prime pay-per-view headliner by split decision. He also picked up the vacant WBC 154-pound title with the win.
“Please note that this committee has granted sanction approval of the Tszyu/Fundora WBO (title fight) on March 25, 2024,” WBO Championship Committee Chairman Luis Batista-Salas noted at the time. “Sanction approval has been granted subject to the winner meeting the Mandatory Challenger in the Jr. Middleweight division Terence “Bud” Crawford within 180 days of the Tszyu/Fundora bout.
“The foregoing condition was essential for purposes of sanction approval. Therefore, in light of the above and according to WBO regulations of World Championship Competitions, the parties are hereby ordered to proceed with negotiations for the WBO Compulsory Jr. middleweight championship to begin.”
Failure to proceed with the bout without the other party’s consent will result in forfeiture of their version of the WBO title.
The distinction is important, as Crawford and Fundora have their sights set on other games.
Crawford has spoken openly of his desire to hold out for a superfight with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs). The interest remains one way, as Alvarez—the reigning RING, WBC, WBA and WBO super middleweight champion—turned the fight down when asked about it. In fairness, Alvarez should defend his crown against Edgar Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) on Sept. 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It is not in his nature to look beyond any given task at hand.
For months, Fundora had been linked to a potential title defense against former unified welterweight titleholder Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs). The match has been on hold for months, largely due to greater clarification required about Fundora’s mandatory title defense obligations.
Spence has not fought since his one-sided ninth-round loss to Crawford last July 29 for the undisputed welterweight championship. Crawford fully unified the division but has since parted ways with the WBC, IBF and WBO welterweight titles. He was also relieved as Ring champion, as he was clearly not returning to the weight.
PBC cannot move forward with Fundora-Spence or any other planned fight for his 6’6″ junior middleweight title until this matter is resolved.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Follow @JakeNDaBox
