Weights from Las Vegas for Tszyu-Fundora

LAS VEGAS — It looks like a great start. Premier Boxing Champions’ inaugural Amazon Prime event on Saturday (8pm ET/5pm PT) from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will feature four title fights, headlined by the WBO/vacant WBC 154-pound title unification bout between reigning WBO titlist Tim Tszyu (20-1-1, 13 knockouts) and an imposing late-replacement for Keith Thurman in Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs).

“I had sparring for the new opponent come in on Monday and I was grateful for the great work they gave me,” Tszyu said. “This fight is all about awkwardness when you have someone that tall. But nothing phases me. It is what it is and the show goes on.

“This is a unification now, so I’m very grateful for that. It’s a legacy-defining type of fight. I just have to keep doing what I’m doing and one day they’ll say that the Tszyu family is the best to ever step into this boxing world. I’ve met Fundora before and I respect him and how he fights. I just have to find the right shots.”

Fundora is aiming to win his first title. He had been preparing to meet his original opponent Serhii Bohachuk, who he feels is similar to Tszyu.

.@Tim_Tszyu vs @SebastianFundo1. David vs Goliath.
History will be written tomorrow.

Order the #TszyuFundora PPV today: https://t.co/gPo68woorT pic.twitter.com/Se0zbYl38I

— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) March 29, 2024

“I’m just going to keep focusing on what I need to do,” Fundora said. “If I stick to my plan, I’ll be successful. I was in control of the (Brian) Mendoza fight, so I don’t want to change too much because of the result, and it doesn’t really matter to me what he did against Tszyu. I’m just going to keep focusing on my game.

“I’ve been training hard all camp. We only had a little bit to fix after our last fight, but my dad and my sister keep my mind straight. My sister Gabriela just became world champion, and now it’s my turn to go do the same.

“A win puts me back at number one in the division. That’s where I want to be. I have my eyes on all of the big names. This is the first stone in the Fundora legacy.”

While that promises to be explosive, the co-feature has the potential for more promise, when WBA junior welterweight Rolando “Rolly” Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) makes his first title defense against Isaac “Pit Bull” Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs).

.@SignUp4KOs is all smiles. @IsaacPitbull98 is all business. Tomorrow #RollyPitbull will be all fireworks!

Order the #TszyuFundora PPV today: https://t.co/gPo68woorT pic.twitter.com/hjTZw2r3Z8

— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) March 29, 2024

“I think I’m a different Rolly in every fight, I learn a lot every camp I’m in,” Rolly said. “Ismael Salas is a tremendous trainer who trained me before I went pro, so I feel like I’m back at home.

“Cruz takes punches because he has to, it’s because he has no other option in his game. This fight is gonna be an explosion and a Mexican slugfest. I’m gonna beat him at his own game. My strength and conditioning coach has had me do a lot of explosive work, and honestly I hate every single second of working with him, but it’s what I need. I already hit hard, and now it’s gonna be more of an explosion on fight night.”

It was Cruz who gave Gervonta “Tank” Davis his stiffest test as a pro, and with Cruz fighting the first time for a title, he has added incentive to defeat Romero, who lasted six rounds with Tank in May 2022, when Cruz is one of just two fighters to have gone the distance with Tank.

Erislandy Lara (29-3-3, 17 KOs) will be defending the WBA middleweight for the second time when he faces Michael Zerafa (31-4, 19 KOs). Lara, the 40-year-old ex-Cuban southpaw, will be fighting for the first time since May 2022, when he stopped Gary O’Sullivan after winning the vacant title.

“I’ve had a great training camp for this fight,” Lara said. “There are always new things you can learn when you put the time in at the gym. We’ve been really focused on our opponent and doing anything we can to win this fight. I feel spectacular.

Zerafa, 32, will be facing his toughest opponent to date.

“I’m super excited to be here,” he said. “I was a boy when I fought in the U.S. the first time and now I’m a man. You’re gonna see a different Michael Zerafa. I’m a lot better fighter and I’m ready to shock the world and make a statement.

“I’m better mentally, physically and really in every way. I’m more experienced and just a better fighter. I was 21 when I fought Peter Quillin, I fell short, but I do believe that now it’s my time. I have a lot of respect for Lara, but I truly believe this fight is not going the distance.”

WBC flyweight titlist Julio Cesar Martinez (20-2, 15 KOs) will be making his second title defense, when he takes on Angelino Cordova (18-0-1, 12 KOs).

Another featured fight includes the junior middleweight clash between Brian Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs) against Serhii Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs).

Here are the weights:

WBO Junior Middleweight Title/Vacant WBC Junior Middleweight Title– 12 Rounds

Tim Tszyu (20-1-1, 13 KOs), 152.8 pounds vs. Sebastian Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs), 152.8 pounds

WBA Junior Welterweight Title – 12 Rounds

Rolando Romero (15-1, 13 KOs), 139.6 pounds vs. Isaac Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs), 138.8 pounds

WBA Middleweight Title – 12 Rounds

Erislandy Lara (29-3-3, 17 KOs), 159.8 pounds vs. Michael Zerafa (31-4, 19 KOs), 158.6 pounds

WBC Flyweight Title – 12 Rounds

Julio Cesar Martinez (20-2, 15 KOs), 111.6 pounds vs. Angelino Cordova (18-0-1, 12 KOs), 111.8 pounds

Junior Middleweights – 12 Rounds

Brian Mendoza (22-3, 16 KOs), 153,2 pounds vs. Serhii Bohachuk (23-1, 23 KOs), 152.6 pounds

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Follow @JSantoliquito

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