This weekend’s clash offers so much of what we admire about boxers. It is the story of a young champion daring to risk all against a short notice change of opponent. On the other side is a great challenger who, returning from a loss, aims to take everything back. Tim Tszyu and Sebastian Fundora respectively must both be heaped with praise for the brutal sacrifice they seem sure to make this weekend.
Tim Tszyu’s Risk
Originally scheduled to face Keith Thurman, only 12 days out Tszyu agreed to take on Fundora. This, after weeks of preparation for Thurman, presents a risk that is hard to overstate. The now-injured Thurman was an older
Conversely Sebastian Fundora presents the problem of “The Towering Inferno”, few nicknames being more appropriate for a boxer. Fundora, based on recent performances will not be hard for Tszyu to find, but he will be throwing from his 7-inch height advantage.
This does not even consider that he will be boasting over 10 inches of reach on Tszyu. The fight is for Tszyu, the most difficult change of opponents possible in the division.
Sebastian Fundora’s Opportunity
In taking the fight, Sebastian Fundora is embracing the risk of being on a 2-fight losing streak in return for the opportunity to reclaim a world title. Having been knocked out last April by Brian Mendoza in a shock upset. This is simultaneously the fastest and most dangerous way for him to announce his return.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhat Fundora concedes in preparation time, both for dieting and training, he gains with how different he is from Thurman. Tim Tszyu will certainly be physically fit, but the question is how the change of opponents will affect his performance.
Tszyu’s Style
Tszyu’s main stylistic advantage is that he fights with a style that is sensible for his frame. Pressuring behind a measured jab and a long lead arm, Tszyu will hunt his opponent down with vicious combinations.
Embed from Getty ImagesHe is not afraid to push his opponent and manipulate their guard with his hands to create openings. Tszyu is undismayed when they try to blunt his forward momentum. Against Terrel Gausha, the first-round knockdown Tim Tszyu conceded only served to worsen the beating he dished out. No doubt he is his father’s son.
Conversely if an opponent tries to flip the script and bully Tszyu, he has shown he has answers also. Against Jeff Horn, Tszyu safely navigated the early round by either clinching a bull-rushing Horn, or simply framing on him with a forearm and pushing him off.
As Tszyu gained control, he was free to meet Horn with his chopping right hand. This and the Gausha fight illustrate that he is capable of both tracking down movers and disciplining aggressive fighters.
Sebastian Fundora’s Style
Whatever one is to say about Fundora’s style, one could never recommend it for someone with his dimensions. As opposed to using his enormous reach and staying behind a disciplined southpaw lead hand.
Embed from Getty ImagesFundora will use his jab only to set up a dip to the inside space. This behaviour would only start to make sense if at least two feet were removed from his frame. Once on the inside, Fundora favours the uppercut from both hands.
Throwing the punch exclusively, his crane-like arms do not discriminate against head or body. Against fellow southpaw Erickson Lubin, the short rear uppercut on the inside underneath Lubin’s lead elbow landed all night.
Fundora’s opponents, although knowing what to expect still look surprised when they fight him. This is probably because of his uniqueness. It being so rare to fight someone with his gifts who is so blatantly resistant to using them. Whatever the reason for Fundora’s decision-making, he has gifted the fans with some truly epic fights.
For all its strategic failings, Fundora’s style did earn him a world title. Although many would argue he could have made an easier path to this, the WBO belt he held is testimony to how effective he is.
The decisions Fundora makes however have not gone unpunished. His insistence on maintaining a close range and his reliance on the uppercut have made him susceptible to both lead hooks and uppercuts.
Being dropped by Lubin and finished by Mendoza with these punches. It seems a suitable time to ask if Fundora will have changed his approach during his year off?
How will Tszyu fight?
In a fight where it seems all but inevitable that a blood bath will ensue, Tim Tszyu seems to be the man more likely to make smart decisions. Not needing to chase Fundora down, Tszyu would be wise to take a step back and let his opponent close the distance for him. The straight right hand to the body mixed with the overhand against a tall southpaw seems an obvious choice.
Embed from Getty ImagesThese shots should inevitably produce a clash of speed and timing against Fundora’s uppercuts. Whilst the straight right to the body requires a fighter to fall into a lunging stance, the overhand requires them to lean forward in a finishing position that can have their gaze looking towards the canvas.
Both shots will make Tszyu susceptible to the uppercut, a punch that can be used to counter upper body movement as opposed to a punch. Tszyu would therefore be wise to feint heavily as the faster fighter to set these shots up in a way that disrupts Fundora’s timing.
Tszyu might also aim to clinch Fundora on the inside to prevent offence being scored. If instead of locking horns and exchanging, Tszyu simply grabs Fundora and waits for the referee to move them to a longer range. Tszyu will have negated most of his opponent’s dangerous offence simply by taking advantage of the ruleset. This may be a fight where Tszyu will need to drop his machismo and simply try and win. It is highly doubtful he will do this.
Will Sebastian Fundora Have Changed?
This fight will mark the end of an 11-month layoff for Fundora. In the months since his loss to Mendoza, one wonders if he has made any stylistic changes. The reason he absorbed so much damage in both his wins and his loss was because of his constant forward movement and relentless inside fighting. Now that he has lost, this fight begs the question, will Fundora take the advice any coach on earth would offer him? To fight behind his reach.
Instead of using his jab solely to move in for uppercuts, Fundora would be wiser to stay behind it. He should also look to show a straight left hand that would allow him to score safely from a distance. Fundora has also never put much emphasis on the hand fight amongst mirrored stance fighters. If he goes out and immediately puts his hand above Tszyu’s jab hand, he should be able to gain a strong form of control.
These suggestions do not mean that Fundora’s previous style won’t bring him success. On the contrary, his uppercut should be used early and often to prevent Tszyu coming forward. They do however acknowledge that his old style will make him more likely to lose and guarantee that he will absorb more damage.
With regards to whether he will make these changes is difficult to say. On the one hand the man is only 26 years old, and it therefore seems perfectly plausible that he would be capable of a career rebirth. On the other, Fundora has been fighting with this style since he was a child. His natural inclination towards inside-fighting and his obvious love for violence might just mean he can’t help himself. No matter what his coaches instruct him.
Final Thoughts
This weekend’s showdown is not just compelling for its guaranteed action, but also for its high stakes. Both men have gambled with their careers taking the fight in a way expected based on how they compete.
If Tim Tszyu wins, he will have all but cleared out the division and placed himself firmly in the running for a fight with Charlo or Crawford. The problem is only his opponent and his lack of specific preparation for such a unique challenge.
Conversely Fundora has the opportunity to turn the division on its head. If he were to win, he would reclaim everything in a single night. If he were to lose the path back will be even more difficult. Given his age of only 26, this might be a risk he can afford to take.
However, one hopes on his behalf that he adopts a style that makes more sense than his current one.
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