Fundora Vs. Kelly Unification In The Works

Negotiations for a Sebastian Fundora vs. and Josh Kelly 154-lb unification have started.

Both fighters enter these negotiations on the back of career-defining victories. Fundora successfully defended his WBC title, becoming the first man to stop Keith Thurman last weekend. In January, Josh Kelly realized his lifetime ambition by traveling to Newcastle to dethrone Bakhram Murtazaliev. Kelly boxed his way to a majority decision win, surviving a late knockdown to capture the IBF world title.

Eddie Hearn is pushing aggressively for the bout to take place in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting a stadium show at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland or the Utilita Arena in Newcastle. Al Haymon and PBC are reportedly keen to keep Fundora on home soil in Las Vegas.

Instagram: zeke_boxing

This unification is seen as the first step toward a four-belt undisputed bout. The winner would be perfectly positioned to face the victor of the Xander Zayas vs. Jaron Ennis clash (scheduled for June 27) to crown an undisputed champion.

"We’ve had very, very early conversations with PBC about that. They’re very interested, and I said let’s make Josh Kelly against Fundora and then the winner fights the winner of Boots for the undisputed. I mean that would be a very natural thing to do. Let’s get these fights made. Let’s make an undisputed champion," Hearn said

The Approach

Credit: Sean Michael Ham / Premier Boxing Champions

For Fundora, the primary objective will be to use his 6’6″ frame and 80-inch reach. Fundora showed tactical maturity in his sixth-round TKO of Thurman. He now uses his southpaw jab as a physical barrier, not just a range-finder. By keeping Kelly at the end of his straight lefts, Fundora forces the smaller man to take massive risks just to land a single punch.

Against Thurman, Fundora used lateral movement to keep the veteran from setting his feet. If he applies this same approach to Kelly, he can prevent the Brit from finding the rhythm needed for his trademark "hit and move" style.

Credit: DAZN

Kelly cannot afford to stand still for even a second. His strategy will likely revolve around "splitting the guard"—timing Fundora’s long leads to slip inside and land short, sharp combinations to the body and head before escaping. In the Murtazaliev fight, Kelly survived a late knockdown by immediately returning to his defensive structure and refusing to be drawn into a brawl. To beat Fundora, he will need to repeat this.

Find all the latest boxing news and MMA breaking updates on boxingnews.com.