WBC and WBO junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora finalizes a fight against #5 Chordale Booker for March on PBC on Prime Video in Las Vegas.
It’s an odd choice on the part of Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), but he’s been out of the ring for 10 months, following an injury, and his attempts to set up fights against Errol Spence Jr. and Joey Spencer failed. . He would have fought one of these two but was rejected by the World Boxing Organization.
A strategic choice
The 33-year-old Booker (23-1, 11 KOs) has operated under the radar of most fans throughout his nine-year professional career. He moved up to world class against Austin “Ammo” Williams and was eliminated in the first round on April 30, 2022.
Since then, Booker has returned to fight lower level opposition and has won his last six fights against obscure opposition. It’s ideal for Fundora to give him a sure win to shake off the rust, but obviously this isn’t a fight that boxing fans will be interested in. I don’t think he’ll care. Holding on to your seatbelts is what’s important.
Few people have heard of Booker because he fought lesser opposition, and he obviously did poorly when trying to match up against top fighters in his blowout first round loss to Ammo Williams.
Chordale Booker’s last six wins:
– Brian Damaian Chavez (14-6, 5 KOs)
– Greg Vendetti (23-6-1, 12 KOs)
– Julio de Jesus Rodriguez (27-8, 24 KO)
– Nicolas Hernandez (28-8-3, 12 KOs)
– Daniel Aduku (15-7-1, 11 KO)
– Angel Hernández (17-18-3, 11 KO)
There are many contenders Fundora could have fought in the top 10 that would have been more attractive, but they would have been risky.
If Fundora hopes to hold on to his titles long enough for a costly fight against Terence Crawford or one of the other fighters, it makes sense to defend against Booker. Fundora can play it safe to milk both titles long enough for Turki Al-Sheikh to pay him a fortune to fight on one of his shows against anyone he wants.
Top 10 WBO Contenders
1. Alex Zayas
2. Charles Conwell
3. Josh Kelly
4. Jorge Garcia Pérez
5. Chordale Booker
6. Ardreal Holmes
7. Israel Madrimov
8. Serhii Bohachuk
9. Nikita Tszyu
10. Jesus Ramos
Unified junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora and Chordale Booker are finalizing a March fight in Las Vegas, sources tell ESPN. The fight is expected to air on Prime Video.
Booker has won six straight fights since a first-round knockout loss to Ammo Williams in 2022.
-Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) January 22, 2025