Sebastian Fundora stops Chordale Booker to retain WBC and WBO super welterweight titles

LOS ANGELES – Sebastian Fundora stopped Chordale Booker in the fourth round on March 22 to retain his World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) super welterweight world titles in Las Vegas.

Fundora, the 1.98m southpaw dubbed the “Towering Inferno”, made a convincing first defence of the titles he claimed last March with a split-decision victory over Australian Tim Tszyu.

His jab was the dominant weapon in the fight early, forcing Booker to navigate past stiff shots if he wanted to be close enough to land his own shots. Booker’s success came when he was able to throw right-hand counters from his southpaw stance that caught Fundora leaving his head on the centre line.

The 27-year-old American champion rocked compatriot Booker in the third round and dropped him twice in the fourth – connecting with a brutal left hook and a pair of sharp uppercuts to send his opponent to the canvas and continuing the onslaught after Booker rose.

“He was moving a lot; I don’t think he wanted to trade at all,” said Fundora, who used his 23cm height advantage to apply pressure behind his long southpaw jab as he bloodied Booker.

Referee Thomas Taylor called a halt at 2:51 of the fourth round as the junior middleweight champion improved to 22-1 with one draw, and 14 wins inside the distance, while Booker fell to 23-2.

“I’ve felt ready this whole time since my last fight,” said Fundora, who added that he had been out of action for just shy of a year after winning his two titles in a bloody war with Tszyu. Despite the layoff, he insisted he had been in camp for the better part of the year.

“I’ve worked very hard this past year to be ready,” added Fundora, who wants to follow in the footsteps of his sister, flyweight Gabriela Fundora, as an undisputed world champion.

“We went into camp in May of last year after the Tszyu fight. There was a misunderstanding of me having a broken nose, but we were working the whole time. Now, I successfully defended my two titles. I just got note that if I defend my WBO five times, I can become super champion as well. So, the sky is the limit.

“Whoever they have for me next, I’ll be ready.”

Undefeated Puerto Rican Xander Zayas, 22, is Fundora’s mandatory opponent for both belts and could be next, while the American had also mentioned a possible unification with International Boxing Federation champion Bakhram Murtazaliev. AFP