Boxing
20-day date: Funder and Zayas ordered to negotiate, and the possibilities of unification with the IBF master threaten the disruption of the WBO mandate
Published
1 year agoon
WBO officially ordered the WBC champion and Junior WBO Medium Libra, Sebastian Fund, start negotiations with his mandatory Xander Zayas. They have 20 days to come up with a contract before a handbag offer. However, the supervisor of the fund, Sampson Lewkowicz, says that he will see their union options, which has priority over his mandatory obligations.
The goal of the fund is the undisputed in 154. So, if he can fight one of the other two belt owners, he will be taken by the next and suspended defense against Zayas (21-0, 13 KO). Lewkowcz says that the fund will not leave its WBO or WBC titles. He will defend against his compulsory contenders because he respects this sport.
Orders WBO
Last Saturday evening, the fund (22-1-1, 14 KO) won the technical knockout of the fourth round of Chordale Booker in a voluntary defense at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. It was a fight designed for the Funda “The Wyshing Inferno” to pull the rust of the Rust from twelve months of inactivity from his victory over the WBO champion 154-pound Tim Tsyzu on March 30, 2024.
Re: WBO JR. Medium scale
Compulsory pretender – Xander Zayas; Negotiations of the fund/zayas https://t.co/e5vpgosrtx– WBO (@Worldboxingorg) March 24, 2025
Zayas tried to start promoting the fight prematurely, tearing the ring last Saturday evening and asking for a meeting with the fund, which was not awarded.
“There would be no problem to fight Zayas. The only thing is that you never know in boxing. So we’ll see,” said Sampson Lewkowicz promoter to media About the fight between WBC and WBO Master Junior Medium Weight Sebastian Fundor and his mandatory WBO Xander Zayas.
“We have to negotiate and we have a month to make a decision. At the moment Zayas is obligatory. So we can’t talk to others. This can happen, unification and it would overcome this mandatory. If this is the IBF champion [Bakhram Murtazalev]Then they [Xander] I have to wait a little longer. In any case, he is a adolescent child. “
Champion IBF MURTAZALIEV published last night on X, congratulating the funds for his victory and informing him: “I’m ready” to start negotiating the struggle of unification. If Sebastian and Lewkowcz want to unite, it would be their chance.
“At the moment we are waiting for a letter with WBO. We will say immediately if we want it or do not. We do not wait a month to make a decision, but if we have the opportunity to earn much more money in unification,” said Lewkowcz. “Actually [Fundora] He will fight for the same money because he wants to reach his four titles. “
President WBO has already said that he wants Xander Zayas to fight for a belt within 120 days. The fund will have to decide if he wants this match to be next. It can be a better paid fight for them than to face Murtazaliev.
“I can’t make this decision as a promoter. It depends on the fund, but definitely number 1 at the moment is Zayas,” said Lewkowcz. “It is mandatory. We have to honor the mandatory. The only thing that can happen is a union because it would be more significant than money. I want to be unquestioned. It will never be [vacate his WBO title].
“The only thing is that there is an opportunity to fight for IBF. So he makes an exception, and then returns, but will honor mandars. Boxing is more than money,” said Sampson for the fund. “Many boxers sell their soul for money.
A hard decision is to make a fund about whether to fight Zayas or go at the start of union with one of the masters aged 154. If he believes in himself, he should go after the fight with Murtazaliev. Terenka Crawford, WBA Master, will be busy for the rest of this year, fighting with Canelo Alvarez in September.
Last updated 03/03/2025
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Boxing
Adam Smith reveals Ben Whittaker’s summer fight plan
Published
48 minutes agoon
April 24, 2026
Ben Whittaker’s next few months are already taking shape following his quick knockout victory in Liverpool, and Adam Smith outlines a busy summer schedule that should finally see the delicate heavyweight fighter face stronger tests
Smith said Whittaker is expected to return to the United States in overdue June on the Jaron “Boots” Ennis card, then return to the UK in the summer for a major date in his hometown of Birmingham.
Whittaker stopped Brian Suarez in two rounds last weekend and performed brilliantly throughout, adding another early finish to the stretch that helped rebuild attention around him after his first fight with Liam Cameron ended in a draw.
Smith said the June outing would support expose Whittaker to a wider audience ahead of a bigger national night later in the year.
“He will fight at the end of June in America at the Boots Ennis gala. That’s good. Show him to a global audience. Then he will come back here in overdue summer, maybe early September and fight in Birmingham in a huge fight,” Adam Smith said in an interview with Sport Boxing.
Smith also named British opponents who could be next, naming Lyndon Arthur, Brad Rea and Craig Richards as possible options once Whittaker returns home.
Smith believes that in the long term, bigger domestic fights with Joshua Buatsi and Anthony Yard should come within the next year if Whittaker continues to win.
“Buatsis and Yards need to be delivered within the next 6-12 months.”
Whittaker has had a lot of notoriety since turning pro, but the activity and matchmaking are looking more grave now. The next two fights should tell more than the first ten.
Tomek Galm is a boxing journalist covering the global fight landscape since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, industry trends and fighter psychology.
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Last updated: 24/04/2026 at 17:38
Boxing
Oscar De La Hoya admits that he would consider returning on one condition
Published
3 hours agoon
April 24, 2026
Six-division world champion and Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya hasn’t fought since 2008, but revealed he would be willing to return for one fighter.
De La Hoya is a newfangled pound-for-pound legend, being one of only two six-division champions in the history of the sport – joined by Filipino fan favorite Manny Pacquiao, who has reached eighth in this ultra-elite club.
While De La Hoya has moved on to promote the sport, “Pac Man” recently returned to the pro ranks, challenging Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight world title last July in an attempt to break his own record as boxing’s oldest 147-pound ruler.
Pacquiao could only get a draw in that fight, but now he’s ready for an even bigger fight – at least financially – after signing a contract for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, who defeated him in 2015 in the “Fight of the Century.”
Time will tell whether this fight will have an impact on Mayweather’s renowned 50-0 record or not. “TBE” apparently wants to change his contract to an exhibition fight despite signing a contract for sanctioned competition.
If that fight takes place in September, Mayweather will come out on top again, De La Hoya said Fighting the noise that he would also be willing to have a rematch with Mayweather.
“I am a fighter. I will always be a fighter. If Mayweather beats Pacquiao, Floyd, you owe me a rematch! Let’s go!”
Mayweather defeated De La Hoya by split decision to win the WBC super lightweight title in 2007, and De La Hoya still maintains he deserved to win the fight.
Boxing
The Day Wilder vs. Joshua fight died after eight years of failure
Published
4 hours agoon
April 24, 2026
Today is April 24, 2026, and after eight arduous years of trying, the Deontay Wilder vs. Anthony Joshua fight is off the table for good, ending one of boxing’s longest-running failed negotiations.
The last window closes
Both sides had one good opportunity to get the job done and promoter Eddie Hearn now closed it down tough. The Matchroom boss has outlined the level of opponent Joshua’s next fight will be aimed at, and it won’t be thrilling for those still hoping for Wilder.
Hearn initially branded Wilder a ‘warm-up’ for Joshua after the ‘Bronze Bomber’ sent Derek Chisora to the points. However, less than a few weeks later, that position appears to have evaporated.
Instead, Joshua will now likely face lower-level opponents outside the top 15 to shake off the ring rust. It is unclear whether these instructions are coming directly from Saudi Arabia or not, but the former two-time heavyweight champion is not expected to enter a potential fight with Tyson Fury this fall after beating the YouTuber over the course of five one-sided rounds.
The Path of Fury takes priority
Joshua, who recorded wins over the likes of Otto Wallin and Jermaine Franklin before suffering a devastating stoppage defeat to Daniel Dubois, is currently in advanced talks with Fury following his performance on Saturday after “The Gypsy King” defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov.
Once negotiations are finalized and the fight is secured, British fans can look forward to the most crucial heavyweight battle in the British Isles since Frank Bruno vs. Lennox Lewis.
To achieve that, Joshua needs to fight a transition fight, and that means he won’t take any chances against Wilder, despite the American’s dwindling strength.
Wilder will now be forced to leave, and given his current form, he may struggle to maintain his current position until any Fury series ends.
Joshua vs. Fury could stretch into two or even three fights, while Wilder will turn 41 in October, which puts him firmly on the wrong side of the age divide.
How it all started
The attention for the former WBC ruler could instead turn to Andy Ruiz Jr., who – as WBN reported exclusively in 2020 – was once lined up for a massive pay-per-view clash with Wilder after the Fury trilogy.
It never materialized, but it remains one of the few remaining realistic options that still holds real intrigue.
The plan began with Shelly Finkel’s phone call to WBN in June 2018. It will end in a whimper as Joshua and Hearn choose their next move ahead of the Fury fight.
How it ended
Eight years later, it has only come close to reaching significance once, in 2023, and even then the Day of Reckoning plan fell through.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
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