Sebastian Fundora would stand taller than many boxers in the heavyweight division as he carries around that 6-foot-6 frame. Fundora is no heavyweight, however -- he's the current WBC interim junior middleweight champion and will put that belt on the line against Carlos Ocampo on Saturday night (Showtime, 10 p.m. ET).
Despite towering over other men in the 154-pound division, Fundora (19-0-1, 13 KO) rarely uses his 80-inch reach in the way boxing traditionalists may expect. That is to say: Fundora is not much of a jabber. In fact, despite a 6-inch reach advantage over 5-foot-9 Erickson Lubin in his most recent fight, Fundora landed fewer jabs than he ate. Fundora defeated Lubin after Lubin's corner stopped the fight following nine rounds of thrilling action that saw both fighters hit the canvas.
The Lubin fight was a near-perfect encapsulation of what makes Fundora such a compelling fighter. He has turned his height into a tool in a wild inside-brawling style with his long arms throwing uppercuts and hooks from unique angles. To employ that style, Fundora has also needed to showcase a chin able to hold up to that style of brawling over technique.
However, as Fundora told CBS Sports in a recent interview, he fights not just to win, but to entertain.
"I don't know if they don't think tall people can't box or something," Fundora said. "You expect tall people to use their reach as an advantage. Yes, I could do that. I want to entertain, as well. This is a sport where you want to see knockouts and see people get hurt. That's just the name of the game."
On paper, Ocampo (34-1, 22 KO) is an ideal opponent for Fundora to continue providing entertainment. Ocampo is most known for a 2018 bout with Errol Spence Jr. for the IBF welterweight title. Spence finished the fight in the final seconds of the opening round.
Ocampo has won 12 fights since the loss to Spence, keeping up a very active schedule. In fact, the fight with Fundora will be Ocampo's fourth in 2022. Two fights ago, Ocampo picked up a good win with a ninth-round TKO of Mikael Zewski, which he followed up with a June win over journeyman fighter Vicente Martin Rodriguez, who has won just one fight in his eight most recent outings.
The rest of the televised card includes Carlos Adames and Juan Macias Montiel battling for the vacant interim WBC middleweight title and a rematch for the IBF super flyweight title between champion Fernando Martinez and Jerwin Ancajas. Martinez scored a big upset of Ancajas to win the title in February, and enters the rematch as the favorite after a dominant performance in the first meeting.
Fundora vs. Ocampo fight card, odds
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
| Favorite | Underdog | Weight class |
|---|---|---|
Sebastian Fundora (c) -800 | Carlos Ocampo +550 | Interim WBC junior middleweight title |
Carlos Adames -500 | Juan Macias Montiel +380 | Vacant interim WBC middleweight title |
Fernando Martinez (c) -280 | Jerwin Ancajas +230 | IBF super flyweight title |
Prediction
There are still some lingering questions about Fundora's ability to compete at the highest level of the sport. He has repeatedly called for a shot at division kingpin Jermell Charlo, and a win over Ocampo may be enough for him to land that fight. A fight with Charlo may be a bit of a "be careful what you wish for" situation for Fundora, whose reckless brawling style may not hold up against one of the best fighters in the world.
Ocampo is a different story, however; his vulnerabilities play into Fundora's strengths. Fundora may not be on Spence's level of ability, but the way Spence was able to destroy Ocampo on the inside during their brief clash suggests Fundora should be able to use his leverage and unique style to work over a fighter not used to fighting near the top level of the sport. Expect Fundora to find a finish in the middle rounds of the fight. Pick: Sebastian Fundora via TKO6
