Ennis Wants Fundora For Undisputed — But Fundora's Camp Just Slammed The Door

• Jaron Ennis called out WBC champion Sebastian Fundora for the undisputed 154lb title straight after stopping Xander Zayas
• Fundora's camp says a mandatory defence against Ermal Hadribeaj comes first, pushing the unification towards 2027
• Luke's verdict: it's the fight to make and Ennis wins it — but the mandatory system is holding the whole division hostage

Boots Called It — And Fundora's Camp Said No

Right then, the ink was barely dry on Jaron Ennis dismantling Xander Zayas when the Philadelphia man told the world exactly who he wants next: Sebastian Fundora, and the WBC belt that would make him undisputed at 154. "Bring on that tall towering inferno — we're gonna chop him down easy," Ennis said. Brilliant line. Only trouble is, Fundora's people have already slammed the door.

The Mandatory That's In The Way

Let's not beat around the bush: this is politics, not fear. Fundora's promoter has made it plain the champion is obligated to a mandatory defence against fellow southpaw Ermal Hadribeaj before anyone else gets a look-in. That pushes a three-belt unification with Ennis into 2027 unless the WBC grants an exception — and sanctioning bodies rarely do a fighter any favours when a mandatory is sat there waiting. So the undisputed dream is real, but it's parked, and that's the frustrating truth of modern boxing.

Ennis Is Levels Above — But He Needs The Names

Make no mistake, Jaron Ennis is one of the most complete fighters on the planet. Switch-hitting, vicious to the body, and he showed against Zayas he can drop a live, unbeaten operator three times and finish inside seven. He is levels above most of the division. But a talent like that goes to waste marking time — he needs Fundora, he needs the undisputed night, and every month it's delayed is a month of his prime spent waiting on paperwork.

Crawford Throws His Two Penn'orth In

And then, because this is boxing, Terence Crawford couldn't help himself — suggesting Ennis is getting too much credit for the Zayas win and that Fundora would finish what Xander couldn't. Cheeky. I get the mind games, but come on: beating a genuine unbeaten titleholder in style earns you your flowers. If Bud fancies it so much, there's an obvious fight to make there too, and I'd watch that in a heartbeat.

My Verdict

Here's where I stand, no fence-sitting. Ennis-Fundora is the fight to make at 154 and it should be next — but it won't be, and that's on the mandatory system, not on Boots. If Fundora genuinely has to see off Hadribeaj first, fine, but Ennis shouldn't sit idle waiting: give him a big-name interim assignment, keep him sharp, and make the undisputed fight the moment the belt's free. And when it finally lands? I've got Ennis. He's too fast, too varied, and too nasty downstairs. Chop him down easy might be a stretch — Fundora's a nightmare at six-foot-six — but I fancy Boots to solve the puzzle.