Fundora-Spence doesn’t happen, Fundora vs. Joey Spencer possible

Errol Spence vs. WBC/WBO 154-pound champion Sebastian Fundora is out. The two were supposed to fight on March 29, but the WBO decided not to sanction the fight.

Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) could face Joey Spencer (19-1, 13 KOs) next. It’s questionable whether the WBO would sanction that fight as well, because Spencer is not ranked in the top 154 ​​at 154. Lance Pugmire is reporting the possibility of Fundora defending against Spencer. It’s not a big fight, but there isn’t much time to select an opponent before March.

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It’s a good thing Spence isn’t challenging the 6’6″ Fundora for both of his titles because he looked finished in his loss to Terence Crawford in his last fight on July 29, 2023. The last thing Spence needs right now is to be defeated by Fundora, 26, much younger and taller, in his debut at 154, after a long layoff.

The reasons for the WBO not to sanction the fight are the following:

– Spence’s 1.5-year layoff
– Loss in the last fight.
– Unclassified at 154
– Never having fought in the junior middleweight division.

In retrospect, it was a crazy idea to use Spence as Fundora’s opponent, given his loss to Crawford in their previous fight, his long layoff, and never having fought at 154.

He would have been completely unworthy of a title shot against Fundora, but the same could be said about Terence Crawford not getting a world title shot against WBA 154-pound champion Israil Madrimov last August. The fight still occurred even though Terence never fought at 154.

Fans don’t see Fundora as a solid champion, given his performance in his last fight against Tim Tszyu and his loss to Brian Mendoza. Beating Tszyu is no big deal, as we saw in his recent third-round knockout loss to Bakhram Murtazaliev on October 19.

The WBO would not sanction Fundora/Spence because the latter was (1) inactive for 1 year and 5 months; (2) a TKO loss in the last fight; (3) he is not ranked at 154 pounds, and 4) he has never fought at 154 pounds. To decide otherwise would be a disservice to the rest of the 154 world-ranked contenders. https://t.co/R2VgVXAi9V

— Gustavo Olivieri, Esq. (@OlivieriLaw) January 16, 2025