Fundora Delivers Stunning Last-Second KO to Retain Boxing Title

In a dramatic showdown in Las Vegas, Sebastian Fundora successfully retained his WBC junior middleweight title, delivering a spectacular knockout victory over the determined Albanian challenger Ermal Hadribeaj. The decisive blow came in the final second of their 154-pound title bout, held at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan.

Fundora, boasting a professional record of 25-1 with 17 KOs, handed Hadribeaj (23-1-1, 8 KOs) his first career defeat. Despite already holding a comfortable lead on the scorecards, Fundora of Coachella, California, relentlessly pursued Hadribeaj in the twelfth and final round. The fight culminated with Fundora knocking Hadribeaj down with a powerful left hand at the 2:59 mark, prompting referee Thomas Taylor to wave off the contest immediately. Fundora expressed his satisfaction with the dramatic finish, noting, "I like how we knocked him out in the final second. It was dramatic. When I saw him almost fall from the overhand left, I said, 'Let's throw it again.'"

The 5-foot-10 Hadribeaj’s strategy was evident from the opening bell: he aimed to close the distance and work on the inside against the 6-foot-5 Fundora. The underdog, who had earned his mandatory title shot by defeating Bakary Samake in May, fought admirably throughout the contest. He even managed to hurt Fundora in the second round, showcasing his resilience and determination. However, Hadribeaj visibly began to show signs of fatigue by the eighth round, impacting his ability to maintain his aggressive inside approach.

Fundora, 28, capitalized on his opponent’s waning energy, repeatedly landing left uppercuts on the inside and combinations to the body. He expertly took advantage of Hadribeaj's fading gas tank during the middle rounds, effectively controlling the pace and damage. Although Hadribeaj mounted a brief late rally in the ninth round, it was not enough to shift the momentum. The challenger also faced setbacks with point deductions in the third and eleventh rounds due to holding, further solidifying Fundora's lead.

This victory marks Fundora's fifth consecutive win since suffering his only career loss, a seventh-round knockout to Brian Mendoza in April 2023. The impressive performance against Hadribeaj positions Fundora for potential high-stakes matchups in the future. Speculation suggests a unification bout against WBA and WBO champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis or IBF champion Josh Kelly, with those two champions anticipated to meet in early 2027. Fundora has clear ambitions for his next steps, stating, "We're on our fourth defense already. Let's go for undisputed. We'll break them down like we did this guy -- and the last guy, the guy before and the guy before."