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The WBO has accepted a 10-day extension request by Terence Crawford to continue negotiations with unified junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora. The two fighters have until October 10th to agree before a purse bid is ordered.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) holds the WBA 154-lb title and WBO interim belts, whereas the 26-year-old Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) possesses the WBC and WBO belts.
On the WBO’s site, they state that Crawford and Fundora have until October 10 to agree to a deal before a purse bid is ordered.
It would be a difficult fight for Crawford to face the 6’6″ Fundora, who can punch a little younger, bigger, and more active with his career. Fundora is a natural 154-pounder, unlike Crawford, and he’s ambitious.
Last August, Crawford came close to losing to WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov in their headliner at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
The fight showed that Crawford wasn’t the same fighter at 154 that he was at 147. Age, inactivity, and competing in a bigger weight class against better opposition showed that Crawford may not enjoy the same success he did in the past.
If Crawford defeats WBC/WBO champion Fundora, he’ll hold three titles at 154 and will only need the IBF title to become the undisputed champ. Winning that title would make Crawford a three-division undisputed champion, which would be impressive for his legacy. The IBF title is held by Bakhram Murtazaliev.
If Tim Tszyu wins the IBF belt, Crawford will have a difficult fight on his hands against him because he punches very hard and could take advantage of his age and lack of size.
This is not a sure-thing win for Crawford because Fundora has talent and is a nightmare to fight due to his size and high output. If the former four-division world champion Crawford loses, he can forget about his dream of a mega-payday fight against Canelo Alvarez.
The recently turned 37-year-old Crawford is choosing to continue fighting at 154 rather than sitting and waiting for unified super middleweight champion Canelo to give him a title shot at for his three belts.
There are still good money fights for Crawford at junior middleweight against fighters like Fundora, Tim Tszyu, Vergil Ortiz Jr., and Serhii Bohachuk. However, for Crawford to have success against those younger, stronger, and bigger fighters, he’s got to fight more often than once a year.
Crawford’s goal is likely to capture the WBO undisputed at 154 and not mess with dangerous punchers like Bohachuk and Vergil Ortiz Jr. unless he absolutely must.
To beat those young lions at 154, Crawford must fight at least twice yearly. It won’t work if he sticks to his once-a-year routine.
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