Sebastian Fundora vs Tim Tszyu 2: Preview & Prediction

“I think it’s just something the fans want to see,” Fundora told Shawn Porter of Main Event. “The last fight was a very good fight, a fight of the year candidate. I think this fight could be one of those again.”

“I wouldn’t say there’s bad blood, but I wanna take his head off,” Tszyu told the media in Las Vegas last week. “This is gonna be a fan-friendly fight.”

Just who walks away from the mouth-watering match-up with their hand raised is far from easy to decide, however.

Has Tim Tszyu Exorcised His Demons?

From Tszyu’s perspective, the most pivotal talking point to arise from the first contest came in the form of a two-inch long cut caused by a stray forearm to the dome in the second round, which led to an immense blood flow that impaired the Australian’s vision for the remaining 10 frames. As a result, a can of worms was opened, with many arguments ensuing among pundits. Some looked at Tszyu’s diminished success from round three onwards and pinned much of the blame for the loss on the wound. Others took the opposite approach and gave Fundora credit for a superior game plan. As is often the case, the truth lies somewhere in the middle and will hopefully be told in the rematch.

Regardless, the events of that night were the start of a horror 2024 for the 30-year-old. If the loss to Fundora, though undesirable, can be viewed as admirable in light of the circumstances, Tszyu’s battering at the hands of Bakhram Murtazaliev in October was anything but, proving to be both physically and mentally destructive. Being dropped and stopped within three rounds against the unheralded Russian, in what was widely viewed as a bounce-back fight, led to some inward reflection.

“I used to envision future fights a little too much,” he admitted. “This time it’s 100% Fundora focused.”

Now taking the fight-by-fight approach, Tszyu will have surely gained some confidence from his dominant fourth-round stoppage of Joey Spencer in his return bout back in April. How much that translates to success, both in Saturday’s fight and against the other top-level names in the division, remains to be seen. Tszyu has proven that, even in adverse circumstances, he can slip past Fundora’s long, lumbering lead hand to land clean punches. Whether he can step out of the darkness cast by the ever-looming shadows of doubt to do so will be key.

Will “The Towering Inferno” Blaze or Burn Out?

In a similar vein, there is difficulty in gauging what to expect from defending champion Fundora . Much like his foe, the Californian scored a fourth-round TKO in March against an overmatched opponent, southpaw Chordale Booker, whose only shared trait with Tszyu is that both brandish boxing gloves and trunks. Granted, the 27-year-old had been inactive for nearly a year and was linked to a potential showdown with another lefty in Errol Spence, but the pivot towards the rematch has caused uncertainty about his prospects.

On the one hand, Fundora is widely regarded as an anomaly. Boxers who stand at nearly 200 centimeters tall don’t typically fight at 154 pounds, nor do they generally favour fighting at close range. If one can look past the flailing limbs, spilled blood, and propensity for violence, however, it is clear that there is genuine craft to his game. For example, a key weapon utilised in the first meeting by Fundora was an inside lead foot position, allowing the taller boxer to establish his jab and land hard rear hand counters anytime his orthodox opponent stepped forward to throw straight right punches.

To dismiss Fundora based solely on the cut is to ignore a lot of finer detail, yet conventional wisdom also suggests that he’ll need to lean on all of this tactical acumen against a Tszyu who will have at least attempted to make the required adjustments.

Sebastian Fundora vs Tim Tszyu 2 Prediction

With all of the storylines accounted for, making a decisive pick for a winner still remains difficult. Both have had full camps, are hungry, fighting with everything at stake, and have a lot to prove. Although I believe Tszyu’s prior losses are in his rearview mirror and that he will have made tactical adjustments, I can also envision Fundora dictating the pace and distance of the fight for long stretches. For that reason, I believe Fundora will retain and again win via decision.

Sebastian Fundora vs. Tim Tszyu 2 Betting Odds

Per DraftKings SportsBook, Tim Tszyu is the favorite at -155, and Sebastian Fundora is the underdog at +125.

Tim Tszyu: TKO/KO +175; Decision +260

Draw: +1600

Sebastian Fundora: TKO/KO +400; Decision +275