Sebastian Fundora Makes Confident Claim as Ermal Hadribeaj Hunts Historic Upset

On October 17, WBC junior welterweight champion Sebastian Fundora will step into the ring in Las Vegas to defend his title against Ermal Hadribeaj. Hadribeaj may not be the most attention-grabbing challenger, but he is the mandatory one, making the fight a necessity above all else.

On a three-fight knockout streak, his last a sixth-round TKO against Keith Thurman, the 6-foot-6 boxer brings leverage and reach into the bout. Fundora wants to add to his knockout streak and stop the challenger.

In 24 fights, Hadribeaj, the Albanian native, is undefeated. While his eight knockouts suggest a lack of punching power, he does flash the ability to display accuracy with his shots. Additionally, he wants to become the first Albanian world champion in history.

With TNT, truTV, and DAZN all simulcasting the bout, fans will have the opportunity to watch a major titleholder who is eyeing potential future unification fights.

Xander Zayas (left) and Sebastian Fundora (right). | IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire

Fundora makes KO prediction

In a virtual press conference, the champion appeared confident that he would extend his knockout streak against Hadribeaj.

“Hadribeaj still has that mechanism that he only knows how to win. He’s protecting that 0. But I’ve taken 0’s before. I’m on a three-fight knockout streak and we intend to keep that going.”
Sebastian Fundora

The champion and challenger are both training at a higher elevation. As a result, the altitude strains the cardiovascular system and helps build it. This will have immediate benefits during exchanges and will help quicken the pace.

Sebastian Fundora vs Chordale Booker | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

For Hadribeaj, successfully navigating inside Fundora's reach will be crucial to winning the fight, especially given the significant height difference between the two fighters. Meanwhile, Fundora knows this and cannot afford to lose cardio during the fight. Granted, boxing is a war of attrition, but frenetic paces will tax the proverbial gas tank.

"We’ve been working hard up in the mountains since our last fight and are just getting ready for the next one. I’m ready to put on another show in Las Vegas. I’ve been getting smarter and wiser. Everything is lining up. Expect the best from Fundora as always. Just like we always do. ‘The Towering Inferno’ is coming to burn down Las Vegas once again. We know that we can’t overlook anyone. We focus on the work and take it one fight at a time.”

Fundora vs Hadribeaj stylistically

Despite standing six-foot-six, Fundora loves to press inside, either digging to the body or seeing his punches enjoy a pendulum effect, a combination of gravity and leverage since they come from a downward angle.

In contrast, Hadribeaj uses a southpaw stance to keep opponents off-guard and attempts to pick them off from angles, which leads to the accumulation of points.

The two fighters share the same goal for the fight but have different ways to achieve it. The champion wants a flashy knockout that grabs attention and makes a unification bout against Jaron Ennis a must-see.

Meanwhile, the challenger, holding his nation's pride on his back, wants to make history.

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