- Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 14 KOs) puts 154lb division on notice after dominant R6 TKO of Keith Thurman — third successful WBC title defence
- Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz dismisses Vergil Ortiz Jr fight, citing ongoing legal dispute with Oscar De La Hoya and likely WBC interim title strip
- Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis targeted for June 27 at Barclays Center — leaving Fundora without a dance partner among the division's elite
- Jermell Charlo, Errol Spence Jr and Tim Tszyu among other names mentioned — Fundora says they all need to come to him
Sebastian Fundora does not lack for confidence. He never has. But there was something different about the 28-year-old standing at the post-fight press conference in Las Vegas on Saturday night, barely a mark on his face after dismantling a former unified welterweight champion in six brutal rounds.
He looked like a man who knows exactly where he sits in boxing's pecking order.
Asked who he wants next — with Vergil Ortiz Jr, Xander Zayas, Jaron Ennis, Jermell Charlo and Errol Spence Jr all floating around the 154-pound conversation — Fundora called out nobody specifically. Instead, he made a broader statement about his standing in the sport.
The Ortiz Problem
Vergil Ortiz Jr would be the obvious WBC mandatory defence. He holds the interim title. On paper, it is the fight that makes itself. But Fundora's promoter Sampson Lewkowicz poured cold water on the idea within minutes of the Thurman stoppage, questioning why he would even discuss Ortiz at this stage.
The issue is legal. A Nevada judge ruled on March 3 that Ortiz cannot move forward with a long-discussed showdown against Jaron Ennis due to his ongoing contractual dispute with promoter Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions. Lewkowicz believes Ortiz will be stripped of his interim belt soon and considers the fight a non-starter until his legal situation is resolved.
It is a frustrating situation for the division. Ortiz is one of the most dangerous punchers at 154 and a legitimate threat to anyone in the weight class. But boxing politics have frozen him out, at least for now.
Zayas and Ennis — Busy Elsewhere
The other two names at the top of most people's 154lb lists are Xander Zayas and Jaron Ennis. Both are unbeaten. Both hold world titles. And both appear to be fighting each other on June 27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn — a welterweight superfight that has been in the works for months.
That means neither is available for Fundora in the near term. The winner of Zayas-Ennis will likely push for a unification or move up in weight, which could eventually lead to a collision with Fundora. But that is a late 2026 or early 2027 conversation.
The 154lb Landscape
So where does that leave the WBC champion? Several names have been mentioned. Jermell Charlo was sitting ringside on Saturday night and has been out of the ring since his undisputed reign ended. Errol Spence Jr is another former pound-for-pound star who could move up to 154 if the right offer materialises. Tim Tszyu, who Fundora beat to win the title in the first place, could push for a rematch.
Fundora himself does not seem concerned about the specifics. He delivered a performance against Thurman that was so dominant — landing nearly four times as many punches as his opponent — that his standing in the division is beyond question. He is the WBC champion, he is in his physical prime, and he fights like a man who does not know what defence means.
The 154-pound division is the best in boxing right now. Fundora, Zayas, Ennis, Ortiz — four genuine elite fighters all in the same weight class. The problem, as always in boxing, is getting them in the ring together.
For now, the Towering Inferno waits. And he expects them to come to him.