Sebastian Fundora inflicted the first stoppage loss of Keith Thurman’s career, overwhelming the former unified welterweight champion inside six rounds to retain the WBC super-welterweight title in Las Vegas.
The referee halted the contest just before the midpoint of the sixth round after Thurman, whose only prior defeat was a points loss to Manny Pacquiao in 2019, emerged bloodied and was being swamped by a flurry of punches. Fundora, 28, exploited a pronounced height and reach advantage — standing over 6ft 5in to Thurman’s 5ft 9in — to control distance and dominate throughout the fight.
Thurman’s limited activity since the Pacquiao loss showed: he had only fought twice in the intervening years and looked vulnerable early when a powerful Fundora left hand buckled his legs. Fundora repeatedly landed to the head and body as he dismantled a fighter he has long admired.
Fundora improved to 24-1-1 and left Thurman at 31-2. Afterwards he said he has always respected Thurman, calling him “a Hall of Famer,” and explained the extra work he put in to prove himself at 154 pounds. “It was a lot easier than I expected,” he added, admitting he felt some nerves but then reminding himself once the bell rang that “this is my world.” He also suggested the 154 division is the strongest right now and invited future challengers.
Thurman, frustrated at the early stoppage, praised Fundora as “a great young fighter” but felt the referee acted prematurely. He told reporters the fight was building and the fans were enjoying the action, asserting the official told him he would not have stopped the fight if Thurman had been moving his feet. “Win, lose, or draw, I thought it was a little bit premature. I had more in me,” he said, while acknowledging the damage from an awkward uppercut that cut him. He finished by lifting Fundora’s credentials, calling him a “tremendous champion” and saying he could hold his head high despite the loss.