Sebastian Fundora Knocks Out Hadribeaj in Final Second

Sebastian Fundora delivered a dramatic finish in Las Vegas, knocking out Ermal Hadribeaj with just one second remaining in their 12-round contest to retain his WBC super welterweight title. The towering southpaw landed a decisive left hand at 2:59 of the final round on Saturday night at the Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, bringing a tense battle to a sudden end.

The victory marked Fundora’s fourth successful title defense and kept his ambition of becoming the undisputed champion at 154 pounds firmly alive. The 28-year-old improved his professional record to 25-1-1, with 17 knockouts, while handing Hadribeaj the first defeat of his career.

Fundora had entered the contest with bigger goals in mind, hoping to move closer to unifying the super welterweight division. However, he first had to overcome a determined mandatory challenger who made the fight uncomfortable with persistent body attacks, close-range exchanges and repeated attempts to disrupt the champion’s rhythm.

Despite facing resistance throughout the contest, Fundora continued to apply pressure and search for a decisive opening. His persistence paid off in the final seconds, when a left hand ended the fight and ensured that his championship reign continued in spectacular fashion.

Fundora Finds the Knockout at 2:59 of the 12th Round

The defining moment arrived with the clock approaching the end of the 12th round. After spending much of the fight working on the inside and breaking down Hadribeaj’s resistance, Fundora found the opening he had been searching for and connected with a powerful left hand.

The punch landed at 2:59, leaving only one second on the clock. It was a dramatic conclusion to a contest that had threatened to go the distance, with Fundora finally producing the decisive shot moments before the final bell.

The finish was particularly significant because Hadribeaj had made the champion work hard for every opportunity. Rather than allowing Fundora to dominate from the outside, the challenger repeatedly moved inside, attacked the body and attempted to interrupt the champion’s offensive combinations.

Fundora acknowledged the unusual timing of the knockout while reflecting on the performance after the fight.

“It was an interesting fight,” Fundora said. “I had to go back and fight on the inside and show everyone again that I can still do that. It was dramatic to knock him out at the last second. But we’ll go back to the gym and fix some things.”

His comments reflected both satisfaction with the result and an awareness that the performance offered lessons for the future. Although the knockout preserved his title, Fundora recognised that there were aspects of his approach that could be improved before he takes on another major challenge.

For a champion pursuing unification, the victory represented an important step forward. Fundora successfully defended his belt, extended his winning streak and avoided an upset against a challenger who entered the contest unbeaten.

Ermal Hadribeaj Makes the Champion Work for Every Opening

Hadribeaj approached the fight with a clear strategy, attempting to neutralise Fundora’s considerable height and reach advantages by getting inside and attacking the body.

The Albanian boxer, who is based in Miami, crouched beneath Fundora’s punches and looked to land looping shots over the top. His approach forced the champion to deal with pressure at close range rather than simply controlling the fight from a distance.

Hadribeaj’s willingness to engage also made it difficult for Fundora to establish a comfortable rhythm early in the contest. By targeting the body and moving into close quarters, the challenger attempted to wear down the champion while limiting the effectiveness of his longer punches.

Fundora found success during the second round, landing shots that began to influence the flow of the contest. As the fight progressed, however, Hadribeaj increasingly relied on holding to disrupt the champion’s attacks and prevent him from putting together sustained combinations.

The challenger was penalised for holding in both the third and 11th rounds. Those deductions added to the difficulties he faced as Fundora continued to press forward and work on the inside.

Although Hadribeaj’s tactics complicated the fight, his resistance also provided Fundora with an opportunity to demonstrate his adaptability. The champion had to adjust his approach, work through the close-range exchanges and remain patient while waiting for the opening that would eventually decide the contest.

Hadribeaj’s first professional defeat was a disappointing conclusion to his title challenge, but his performance showed why he had earned the opportunity. He remained competitive enough to make the champion work until the closing seconds, even as Fundora’s pressure gradually took its toll.

Fundora’s Body Attack Sets Up the Decisive Left Hand

One of the most important aspects of Fundora’s performance was his sustained work to the body. The champion repeatedly targeted Hadribeaj’s midsection, using his left hand to attack the rib cage and create openings for punches upstairs.

According to Fundora, the body work was central to his strategy from the early rounds. He believed that his punches were having an effect and continued to focus on the same areas as the fight developed.

“I told the ref in the fourth round that I was hurting him,” Fundora said. “I kept landing body shots and was looking for that special shot to get him out of there.”

Fundora explained that his repeated attacks to the rib cage helped him identify the opening that eventually produced the knockout.

“I was hitting him in the rib cage the whole time with the left hand and when I went up the middle, I heard the noise that he made. So I just kept touching that and knew it would break him.”

The comments offered insight into the champion’s thinking during the contest. Rather than abandoning his plan when Hadribeaj resisted his attacks, Fundora continued to invest in the body shots and looked for opportunities to change levels with his left hand.

That patience proved decisive. The final punch came after 11 rounds of sustained work, allowing Fundora to finish the fight before the scheduled distance and avoid leaving the outcome to the judges.

The performance also highlighted an important element of Fundora’s style. Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall, he possesses unusual physical dimensions for the super welterweight division. However, his victory over Hadribeaj showed that he can also work at close range when opponents attempt to take away his advantages on the outside.

Fundora Extends Winning Streak After Previous Knockout Defeat

The victory over Hadribeaj continued a strong run for Fundora, who has now won five consecutive fights since suffering a knockout defeat to Brian Mendoza in April 2023.

That setback proved to be a turning point in his career. Fundora responded by rebuilding his momentum and eventually securing one of the most important victories of his professional journey against Tim Tszyu in March 2024.

In that contest, Fundora captured the WBC and WBO super welterweight titles, establishing himself as one of the leading fighters in the 154-pound division. The championship win marked a major achievement and opened the door to further high-profile opportunities.

He subsequently stopped Chordale Booker, defeated Tszyu in a rematch and stopped Keith Thurman in successive title defenses, according to the supplied fight report. His latest victory over Hadribeaj added another successful defense to that sequence.

Fundora’s record now stands at 25 wins, one defeat and one draw, with 17 victories coming by knockout. Those numbers underline his ability to finish fights, while his recent run demonstrates how effectively he has recovered from the loss to Mendoza.

At 28, Fundora remains focused on adding further achievements to his résumé. Retaining the WBC title was important, but his attention is already turning towards the possibility of facing the other leading names in the division.

Fundora Targets Undisputed Championship Against Jaron Ennis or Josh Kelly

Following his victory, Fundora made his long-term objective clear: he wants to unify the super welterweight division and become the undisputed champion at 154 pounds.

Two names featured prominently in his post-fight comments: Jaron Ennis and Josh Kelly. Fundora expressed confidence that he could break down either opponent through the same persistent pressure and body work that helped him overcome Hadribeaj.

“I want to go for undisputed in this division,” Fundora said. “We’ll break either Jaron Ennis or Josh Kelly down. Just like the last guy and the guy before that. We’ll keep breaking them down.”

The statement made it clear that Fundora does not intend to settle for simply defending his existing championship. His ambition is to collect the remaining major titles and establish himself as the division’s undisputed ruler.

However, pursuing that goal will require overcoming elite opposition. Ennis and Kelly represent potential challenges that would test Fundora’s technical ability, physical attributes and capacity to adapt to different fighting styles.

Fundora’s height and reach can create problems for opponents, but his latest contest also demonstrated that he is willing to engage in close-range exchanges when circumstances demand it. His ability to work the body and maintain pressure could become important tools in any future unification bout.

For now, no undisputed championship fight has been confirmed in the supplied report. Fundora will first need to assess his performance, return to training and determine the next step in his campaign.

How Ermal Hadribeaj Earned His First World Title Opportunity

Hadribeaj entered the contest with an unbeaten professional record of 23-0-1, making the fight against Fundora the biggest opportunity of his career.

The Albanian fighter earned his shot at the WBC super welterweight title after defeating the previously unbeaten Bakary Samake earlier in the year. That victory helped position him for a mandatory challenge against the reigning champion.

Although the opportunity ended in defeat, Hadribeaj’s willingness to challenge Fundora on the inside made the contest more demanding than a straightforward title defense. His body attacks and efforts to disrupt the champion’s combinations forced Fundora to make tactical adjustments throughout the fight.

The loss leaves Hadribeaj with the task of regrouping and evaluating his next move. His record now includes his first professional defeat, but one setback does not erase the achievements that helped him earn a championship opportunity.

For Fundora, the result was a reminder that mandatory challengers can present difficult stylistic problems even when the champion enters the ring as the favourite. The victory kept his title and his unification ambitions intact, but it also provided valuable lessons ahead of potentially more demanding contests.

Armando Resendiz Outlasts Koen Mazoudier in Co-Main Event

The co-main event in Las Vegas delivered another competitive contest, with Armando Resendiz earning a unanimous decision victory over Australia’s Koen Mazoudier in a 10-round super middleweight bout.

Resendiz improved his record to 17-3 after the judges scored the contest 98-92, 97-93 and 97-93 in his favour. The scorecards reflected a strong performance from Resendiz, although Mazoudier remained competitive and continued to trade punches throughout the encounter.

Resendiz found success with punishing left hands during the middle rounds, using those shots to build momentum and establish control. Mazoudier, whose record moved to 16-5-1, continued to fight at close range and attempted to turn the contest in his favour late in the bout.

Despite the Australian’s resistance, Resendiz finished strongly. During the final minute, he landed shots that sent Mazoudier stumbling backward, providing a forceful conclusion to the fight before the judges announced their decision.

Afterward, Resendiz credited his preparation but acknowledged that he had needed to adapt his approach during the contest.

“We pulled this off because we had great preparation,” Resendiz said. “This was the kind of fight that I expected. I had to change my game plan and box and move a little bit because this was a very tough fight.”

His comments reflected the tactical demands of the encounter. Rather than relying exclusively on pressure, Resendiz recognised the need to box and move to deal with Mazoudier’s inside work and maintain control over the later rounds.

Marco Romero Scores Devastating First-Round Knockout

Marco Romero produced one of the night’s quickest finishes, stopping Matias Ferreira with a crushing right hand at 1:54 of the first round in their scheduled eight-round super middleweight contest.

Romero entered the fight unbeaten at 16-0, with 14 of his victories coming by knockout. He added another stoppage to that record by ending the contest before Ferreira could establish himself in the bout.

Ferreira, who came in with an 8-3 record, was unable to withstand the decisive right hand. The result further strengthened Romero’s unbeaten résumé and highlighted his finishing power.

Romero was confident when discussing the performance afterward, pointing to the speed difference between the fighters.

“He was too slow,” Romero said. “His speed and experience didn’t matter.”

The quick victory gave Romero another notable result on a card that featured a mixture of dramatic knockouts, competitive decisions and championship action.

Jaime Osuna Remains Unbeaten After Majority Decision

Jaime Osuna also maintained his unbeaten record, earning a majority decision victory over Cristian Cangelosi in an eight-round middleweight contest.

Osuna improved his record to 12-0, while Cangelosi suffered the first defeat listed on his record, which stood at 13-1-1 entering the fight. The result ensured that Osuna continued his progression without a loss, although the competitive nature of the bout meant he had to work hard to secure the decision.

Osuna acknowledged the difficulty of the contest, describing it as a fight that demanded everything he had from beginning to end.

“It was a fight that took everything I had from beginning to end,” Osuna said.

The win added another positive result to Osuna’s record and rounded out an event that featured several different types of performances, from Romero’s first-round knockout to Resendiz’s hard-fought decision and Fundora’s dramatic late stoppage.

What’s Next for Sebastian Fundora?

Fundora’s victory over Hadribeaj ensured that his WBC super welterweight title remains in his possession and kept his hopes of becoming undisputed alive. The manner of the finish was particularly memorable, with the champion producing the decisive punch at 2:59 of the 12th round.

Although the contest exposed areas he wants to improve, Fundora demonstrated the patience and persistence needed to overcome a challenger who refused to make the fight easy. His sustained body attack eventually created the opening for the knockout, reinforcing the importance of his inside game.

The next stage of his career will likely revolve around his stated ambition to unify the 154-pound division. Potential fights involving Jaron Ennis or Josh Kelly could provide the kind of high-level competition required to move him closer to that objective, although the next opponent and timetable remain unconfirmed.

For now, Fundora can take confidence from another successful title defense and a fifth consecutive victory since his 2023 loss to Mendoza. His record continues to improve, and his championship ambitions remain firmly in focus.

In a fight that appeared destined to reach the final bell, Fundora delivered a dramatic finish with just one second remaining. It was a reminder of his punching power, his willingness to keep pressing and his determination to remain a major force in the super welterweight division.