SEBASTIAN FUNDORA has been ordered to face Terence Crawford in a super-welterweight unification this year.
Fundora currently holds the WBO and WBC titles as a result of his blood-soaked split decision victory over Tim Tszyu in March. The division’s newcomer Crawford, meanwhile, is the WBA champion following his win against Israil Madrimov in LA earlier this month.
Now the chairman of the WBO Championship Committee Luis Batista Salas has informed both sides via email that they have 30 days to reach an agreement for a three-belt unification. If they are unable to do so, a purse bid will take place.
As per the WBO’s regulations, either side are able to request a purse bid at any point across the 30-day negotiation period, which kicked off on August 28.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 30: WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu (L) takes a punch from Sebastian Fundora during the ninth round of a title fight at T-Mobile Arena on March 30, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fundora won Tszyu’s title and a vacant WBC title by split decision. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
Crawford, a former WBO champion at welterweight, light-welter and lightweight, is first in line for a shot at Fundora by virtue of also winning the WBO interim title during his victory over Madrimov.
It had been suggested that Fundora could face Errol Spence Jr before the year is out but there appears to have been little movement on that fight and now it could be the only man to have beaten the Texan up next instead.
However it is unclear what 36-year-old Crawford will do next, with a money-spinning showdown with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez still acutely possible he might decide to swerve Fundora altogether.
