Sebastian “Towering Inferno” Fundora has shelved a mandatory date with Xander Zayas to grant Tim Tszyu the rematch fans begged for, setting the stage for a July 19 thriller at the MGM Grand with Fundora’s WBC super-welterweight crown on the line. Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz teased “It will be raining blood,” a nod to last March’s gory classic that saw Fundora edge Tszyu via split decision after an accidental elbow opened a torrent over the Aussie’s eyes.
Still nursing the memory of last year’s blood-soaked split-decision loss, Tszyu thanked Fundora for honoring their rematch clause, then guaranteed a sequel modeled on Castillo-Corrales chaos. “Fans replay fights like Pacquiao-Morales; this one has to live that long,” the Australian said. “We’re the fight of the night - maybe the decade.”
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Tszyu saved his sharpest jab for A-side stars whose recent performances “haven’t impressed at all,” a none-too-subtle swipe at Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, and even Saul “Canelo” Álvarez. “This card’s different,” he insisted. “Pitbull opens, Pacquiao closes, and me-Fundora in the middle - no chance of snoozers.”
Fundora returned fire, calling the bout “Round 13” of their 2024 epic and vowing to prove why the WBC belt now rests on his lanky frame. Tszyu countered: “I’m hoping it’s a brand-new Round 1, this time on my terms. Plan? Hit him in the face as hard as I can - make it a war.”
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Away from the hype, the Sydneysider revealed he’ll stage camp at home on advice from UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski and still craves a long-delayed showdown with Jermell Charlo - “unfinished business” after Charlo jumped to face Canelo. But first comes Fundora in what Tszyu calls “the night to rewrite my mistakes.”
Fight card:
▪️Mario Barrios vs. Manny Pacquiao, 12 rounds, for Barrios’ WBC welterweight title
▪️Sebastian Fundora vs. Tim Tszyu, 12 rounds, for Fundora’s WBC super welterweight title
▪️Isaac Cruz vs. Angel Fierro, 10 rounds, super lightweight
▪️Brandon Figueroa vs. Joet Gonzalez, 10 rounds, featherweight
Prelims:
▪️Gary Russell Jr. vs. Hugo Alberto Castaneda Marroquin, 10 rounds, lightweight
▪️Alan Picasso Romero vs. Kyonosuke Kameda, 10 rounds, super bantamweight
▪️Mark Magsayo vs. Jorge Mata Cuellar, 10 rounds, super featherweight
Non-televised:
▪️Abel Ramos vs. Jose Luis Sanchez, 8 rounds, welterweight
▪️Omar Salcido Gamez vs. Brian Gallegos, 8 rounds, super lightweight
▪️Eumir Felix Marcial vs. Bernard Joseph, 8 rounds, middleweight
▪️Jursly Vargas vs. Sergio Aldana, 6 rounds, super lightweight
▪️Joseph Brown vs. Aaron Watson, 4 rounds, super welterweight
