Sebastian Fundora vs. Chordale Booker aims for March

WBC and WBO junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora is finalizing a fight against No. 5 Chordale Booker for March on PBC on Prime Video in Las Vegas.

It’s an odd choice by Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), but he’s been out of the ring for 10 months, coming off an injury, and his attempts to set up fights against Errol Spence Jr. and Joey Spencer have failed. . . He would have fought one of those two but was rejected by the World Boxing Organization.

A strategic choice

The 33-year-old Booker (23-1, 11 KOs) has been operating under the radar of most fans throughout his nine-year professional career. He moved up to world class against Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams and was knocked out in the first round on April 30, 2022.

Booker has since returned to fighting lower-level opponents and has won his last six fights against obscure opponents. It’s ideal for Fundora to give him a sure win to shake off the rust, but obviously, it’s not a fight that boxing fans will be interested in. I don’t think he cares about that. The important thing is to fasten your seatbelt.

Few people have heard of Booker because he’s been fighting lesser opponents, and he obviously fared poorly when he tried to take on top-tier fighters in his first-round loss to Ammo Williams.

Chordale Booker’s last six wins:

– Brian Damaián Chávez (14-6, 5 KOs)
– Greg Vendetti (23-6-1, 12 KO)
– Julio de Jesús Rodríguez (27-8, 24 KOs)
– Nicolas Hernandez (28-8-3, 12 KOs)
– Daniel Aduku (15-7-1, 11 KO)
– Ángel Hernández (17-18-3, 11 KOs)

There are plenty of contenders Fundora could have fought in the top 10 that would have been more appealing, but they would have been risky.

If Fundora hopes to hold on to his titles long enough for a big-money fight against Terence Crawford or one of the other fighters, defending against the likes of Booker makes sense. Fundora can play it safe to take advantage of both titles long enough for Turki Al-Sheikh to pay him a fortune to fight on one of his shows against whoever he chooses.

Top 10 WBO contenders

1. Xander Zayas
2.Charles Conwell
3. Josh Kelly
4. Jorge Garcia Perez
5. Chordale Booker
6. Ardreal Holmes
7. Israel Madrimov
8. Serhii Bohachuk
9. Nikita Tszyu
10. Jesus Ramos

Unified junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora and Chordale Booker are finalizing a fight in March in Las Vegas, sources tell ESPN. The fight is expected to air on Prime Video.

Booker has won six straight fights since losing by first-round knockout to Ammo Williams in 2022.

—Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) January 22, 2025