Thurman believes his championship-level experience will give him the edge in the match, stating that Fundora has never faced a legend like himself. Having fought the likes of Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, Mario Barrios, and Manny Pacquiao at welterweight does give him credence, but none of those opponents are physically built like Fundora.
Standing at 6 feet 5 ½ inches tall with an 80-inch reach, he is a difficult opponent for anyone. When asked what he thinks of Thurman’s statement that he’s never faced a legend like himself, Fundora said, “I’m a legend myself already. We’re trying to make it even more to the people, but I consider myself a legend already. There’s nobody like me in the super welterweight class. Never has been. I’m putting my stamp under my legacy.”
Fundora has flown under the radar due to his limited resume, but is on the verge of coming onto the grand stage against the bigger-name opponents if he’s successful against Thurman. The super welterweight division is one of the most talented divisions in boxing, featuring Vergil Ortiz, Jaron Ennis, Xander Zayas, and Fundora himself.
Any of the listed boxers could be future opponents, making for super fights that would generate great fan interest, but Fundora must first take care of the task at hand. He must beat Thurman, and he must do so convincingly to be considered among the best of the best in the division.
“He’s a great fighter. I think he’s a future Hall of Famer for sure, but it’s my time now,” said Sebastian of Thurman’s skills. He knows he poses a challenge and is not to be taken lightly. In his last match, Thurman was able to stop Brock Jarvis in the third round.
Keith appears to want to employ a similar strategy against Fundora, believing he can catch him coming in on the inside and land the perfect punch. Although he was successful against Jarvis, it will be much more difficult and challenging to do against Sebastian, who is nearly a foot taller with an 11-inch reach advantage.
Once an inside pressure fighter, Fundora has since learned to utilize range effectively. He is prepared for whatever strategy Thurman may employ. “We’ll see, we’ll see, because looking at the last five fights, the only one he knocked out was Jarvis. So I think we’re on a completely different level than that.
We’ll see what he comes with, but we’re going for the knockout as well.” At yesterday’s weigh-in, Fundora (153.6 lbs.) weighed a full pound heavier than Thurman (152.6 lbs.) and will only become heavier as he hydrates.
Being the lighter fighter, Keith may choose to box on the outside, especially if he is bothered by Fundora’s power. Sebastian believes this is his time, and he aims to put on a show, predicting he will end it by the sixth round.
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