Sebastian Fundora goes up against Serhii Bohachuk live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 30. The pair battles it out for the vacant WBC super welterweight title. The scheduled for 12 rounds contest opens the PPV action topped by Keith Thurman vs Tim Tszyu.
Fundora and Bohachuk know each other, having shared the squared circle for a number of rounds in the past. Both fighters make their first attempt to win one of four major belts.
Coachella-based Sebastian Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) of West Palm Beach, Florida is looking to return to the win column. The 26-year-old southpaw suffered his first career defeat last April, when he was KO’d by Brian Mendoza in the seventh round and lost his interim WBC 140-pound belt.
LA-based Serhii Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs) is riding a five-fight winning streak. The 28-year-old native of Vinitza, Ukraine stopped Patrick Allotey in the first round last time out in July 2023.
“We used to spar Bohachuk all the time,” said Fundora. “I sparred him a lot before I faced Ve’Shawn Owens and the fight after that. We stopped sparring around 2019, maybe early 2020. Bohachuk and I have sparred thousands of rounds together. But that’s in the past, we’re both in different places now as fighters.”
“It’s an honor to have shared so many rounds with him. I wouldn’t rather have my first world title fight against anybody else. He’s a come forward fighter who throws a lot. I know he might be stronger now, but that same aggressive style is what I see. My job is to show the difference between us on March 30.”
“We’re up in the mountains this time with the snow, rain and bears, but other than that it’s the same camp and same team that’s gotten us to this point,” Fundora said about his training camp up in the Tehachapi mountains in Southern California. “We’ve been getting great work here so far and we’re on track for March 30. For me, training camp is about doing what I’m told. It’s a small circle, and my dad is the leader of it all. If I get out of line, he’s right there to show us the better path.”
Sebastian Fundora: I want Tim Tszyu fight and I’ll be waiting for it
“The next day after the loss [against Mendoza] we went hunting. My dad [and trainer Freddy Fundora] told me not to worry about it too much. As fast as you go up in this sport, you can go down. I took maybe a month off to enjoy myself, but then I was right back into camp. We took more of a ‘washing the hands’ type of approach to the loss. All you’re really going to see from going back is the knockout. During the fight, I know I was ahead, but it went the way it went. So you have to throw it all out and move on.”
“I’m a more mature Towering Inferno, but fans can expect a show like always. I don’t plan on taking that out of my game. But overall it’s going to be the best Sebastian Fundora.”
“It’s a blessing to be in this position [to fight for world title]. My sister [Gabriela Fundora] just won a title, so it’s time for me to catch up. It’s my turn and I’m happy that if everything goes right, my father will have two world champions. It shows how good of a coach he is, even if he likes to stay behind the scenes. It shows us that we’re the real deal.”
“Of course I’d want to face Tim Tszyu next if we both win. He’s the number one guy in the division and I’d be right under him after my fight. I want that fight and I’ll be waiting for it.”
In the main event, Australia’s reigning WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu faces American former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman of Clearwater, Florida. The pair goes head to head in the 12-round non-championship bout at 155-pound catchweight.
In the co-feature, Las Vegas’ Rolando Romero defends his WBA super lightweight title against Isaac Cruz of Mexico. Also on the PPV card, Cuban Erislandy Lara defends his WBA middleweight title against Michael Zerafa of Australia.