Sebastian Fundora has started using his reach in the last couple of years, and he used every inch of it tonight in a dominant sixth round stoppage of former welterweight champion Kieth Thurman. It is the first stoppage loss of the chronically inactive Thurman‘s career.

Thurman started the fight circling the ring, trying to walk Fundora into a big right hand, assuming that Fundora at some point would overextend himself as he often has throughout his career. But in recent years Fundora (24-1-1, 15 ko) has learned to use his length, making him a very difficult pressure fighter to generate offense against. He stayed behind his jab and threw combinations from his distance and made it very difficult for Thurman (31-2, 23 ko) to time and land his counters.

By the fourth round he had Thurman struggling with the pace and his face starting to fall apart under the pressure and the volume. The fifth and sixth saw more of the same with Fundora starting to get rolling downhill and the doctor checking on Thurman at the start of round seven. It was simply too much for an older champion, whose best days were at a lower weight and who was fighting in just his third time since a decision lost too Manny Pacquiao in 2019.

It’s a highlight win for Fundora, who now with two wins over Tim Tzsyu and a win over Thurman has a legitimate argument of being the top guy at 154, particularly with Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Virgil Ortiz unable to come to an agreement. For Thurman, it’s hard to see what he does next. Ring-rust was apparent in this one, and he just didn’t have the timing to get his shots off against the much taller Fundora, or the engine to press Fundora in the pocket. The only solace he may find is in the fact that the stoppage was premature and did not come at a time where Thurman looked defenseless. The writing was on the wall with this one, but Fundora deserved the opportunity to finish the show, and Thurman deserved the right to go out on his own terms as a former champion.

 In the post Mayweather era, Keith Thurman seemed like the guy at welterweight, and a future pound for pound start. But after a career defining win over Danny Garcia in 2017 (nearly nine years ago to the date) he would take nearly two years off before shaky decision over Josesito Lopez in January of 2019, followed by the Pacquiao loss later that year. Chronic inactivity has been the defining characteristic of Thurman’s career, and its hard to imagine him ever returning to that 2017 for after this performance. But there was never a question about whether Keith Thurman could fight, and we always wanted to see more of him.

Tellez Grinds Out Rough Hang With Mendoza

They both showed a lot of heart, but it was ultimately Cuban prospect Yoenis Tellez (12-1, 8 ko) who had a little more to grind out a rough and rugged decision over veteran contender Brian Mendoza (23-5, 17 ko). 

Tellez would suffer a nose breaking headbutt in the third that looked like it might stop the fight as it began instantly gushing blood onto the canvas. Tellez took most of the five minutes he was allowed and looked hesitant for the rest of the round, but would begin to assert himself more in the middle rounds. Mendoza would also suffer a head-butt in the eighth causing a cut over his eye, and the two would trade down the stretch. It was a gritty performance from both that just felt like Mendoza came in second, unable to match the volume and sharpness of the crafty Tellez. Tellez has now won two straight since his loan defeat to Abass Baraou last year.

• Middleweight phenom Yoenli Hernandez (10-0, 9 ko) looked to be en route to a career defining win up to this point against Terrel Gausha(24-6-1, 12 ko), dominating every second of the fight with an aggressive but calculated offense. That is until referee Allen Huggins stopped the fight prematurely, seeming with no reason or a proper warning to the seasoned veteran Gausha, who didn’t do much other than present a high guard for Hernandez to throw at, but was never in danger and had blocked many of Hernandez’s shots upstairs. Hernandez is a little one speed for me, but was very dominant against a high level gatekeeper who has fought the best of his era and has never taken a beating. Would have loved to see him finish the show.

• After a tentative start, Armenian heavyweight Gurgen “Big Gug” Hovhannisyan (10-0, 9 ko) turned up the heat and stopped Cesar Navarro (15-4, 13 ko) with a flurry of shots to finish the fight. Big Gug, who went pro in 2021, has had a slow start to his career. His engine, surprising athleticism and creative combinations still make him a heavyweight to watch, but Navarro turned pro at welterweight in 2017 and posed no real threat. It’s time to step up the competition and activity. 
  
• Super middleweight Kevin Newman (19-3-1, 11 ko) gutted out a majority decision over Elijah Garcia (17-2, 13 ko), finishing the tenth round strong and edging past the 22 year old by scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 95–95. ITR boxing also scored the fight 95–95. Newman started the fight busy behind a flicking jab, which seemed to force Garcia to keep his hands in his pockets. But Garcia would pick it up in the third as he upped his pressure and power punching. They would alternate rounds and the flurries for much of the fight, but it was Newman who would the end of the 10th with a strong flurry that ultimately separated him and earned him the decision. A good wind for Newman, but both looked like they were struggling to maintain intensity throughout the boat, with both coaches livid with their fighters between rounds. Garcia, who is only 22 years old and brought us some magical moments in 2023 wins over Amilcar Vidal and Jose Armando Resendiz, has hit a point of stagnation at a pivotal point in his career and his future is as uncertain as ever.