Sebastian Fundora and Erickson Lubin, both super welterweights, fought hard and excitingly, which led to an amazing fight.
Sebastian Fundora and Erickson Lubin’s fight on April 16 went unnoticed, but it turned out to be one of the best fights in boxing history.
The Showtime crowd and those watching live at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, the world’s fight capital, were captivated by Fundora and Lubin’s thundering fists for nine intense rounds. Fundora and Lubin, on the other hand, may have lost something significant in the ring that night.
All boxing fans wish for fights even a tenth as exciting as Fundora vs. Lubin. Everyone can admire their fierce battle of wills in which both warriors attempted to out-slug each other, but fighting in this manner comes at a price.
Fundora and Lubin aren’t well-known. They’re serious boxers who would rather fight than chat.
They’re reminiscent of numerous hard-nosed, no-nonsense tough guys from the 1920s and 1930s. Fundora and Lubin don’t have millions of followers on social media, and they don’t make up outrageous remarks to attract attention.
They fight because they enjoy it, and they both aspire to be world champions.
Fundora and Lubin emanated focused energy in their corners as they danced on their toes, preparing to leap out of their corners before the starting bell. As they swapped power-punching combinations, the two southpaws matched each other in stance and desire.
The scene was enhanced by the 6-foot-6 Fundora exchanging blows with the 5-foot-10 Lubin. The shorter, more muscular “Hammer” collided with “The Towering Inferno,” as both were unrelenting in their attempts to outmuscle the other.
The first to wilt was Lubin. Fundora’s enormous punch output put him under a lot of strain.
Fundora threw 157 punches in the first two rounds, 45 of which landed, according to CompuBox. Few people can withstand that kind of abuse or produce that kind of workload.
Lubin was knocked out in the last seconds of round two by a Fundora right lead uppercut. He struggled to his feet with the ring in his hand and finished the round on shaky legs.
In round 3, Fundora continued his onslaught, but Lubin matched Fundora’s zeal. Lubin spent much of the round on the ropes, but he was able to claw his way back into the fight and bloodied Fundora’s nose.
Fundora beat Erickson Lubin to keep his WBC interim super welterweight title, and he could be in line for a title shot down the road
Lubin’s chin and heart were questioned when he was knocked out by Jermell Charlo in 2017. Lubin worked as hard to change people’s minds about what happened as he did to beat Fundora.
Round after heated round, Fundora and Lubin aggressively went at it. Both guys tried to beat the other into submission, and defense went out the window.
The boxing battle devolved into a pugilistic tug of war, and neither Fundora nor Lubin wanted to lose.
Fundora blasted Lubin’s face with uppercuts repeatedly in round 7. He kept throwing them because they kept landing. Lubin appeared to be on his way out, yet, out of necessity, he discovered a surge of vigor.
Lubin would have been rendered unconscious if he hadn’t acted. With a series of left hands, he nearly dropped Fundora for the first time in his career.
Fundora cursed himself for his moment of weakness as he dropped to his knees. Lubin took the first round, but Fundora fought back in rounds 8 and 9.
Lubin’s right side and jaw were hammered by Fundora’s uppercuts and hooks. Lubin’s nose and mouth were dripping with blood.
His right eye was closed, and his right half of his face was enlarged. Lubin finished round 9 on his feet, but the fight was stopped by his trainer, Kevin Cunningham.
Cunningham’s decision was likely influenced by the sight of Lubin’s face and the increasing regularity of his punches. Cunningham was pelted with ice from ringside by someone disgusted with his decision.
Cunningham saved Lubin from himself. It can be hard for warriors to see how arrogant they are sometimes, but a good trainer knows when to step in.
If a trainer cares about his or her fighter, he or she will protect them from undue harm. It has the potential to save a boxer’s life or improve their quality of life.
According to CompuBox, Fundora took 149 punches while Lubin took 255. Both have battle scars and damage that isn’t visible or quantifiable.
Even if a boxer has a granite chin like Fundora, their grit wears away over time due to the rocky composition. The human body has a limit to how much it can take before it breaks.
Fundora vs. Lubin was a fascinating and entertaining match to witness. Both fighters gave their everything, but it was Fundora who came out on top with his round 9 TKO.
If Fundora’s victory was a pyrrhic victory, only time will tell. He now has the WBC super welterweight interim title and has the potential to become the full champion in the future.
Alternatively, he could have lost a piece of himself in the ring with Lubin. This is the price a boxer pays for being the “cruelest sport,” as Joyce Carol Oates put it.
It’s yet another example of why boxing should not be played and why boxers should be respected.
