Tszyu vs. Fundora, Rolly vs. Pitbull: Primed for Battle

Tonight, the inaugural PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video will see rising star and undefeated world champion Tim Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) in the main event taking on all-action contender Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) for Tszyu’s WBO Junior Middleweight World Title and the vacant WBC 154-pound World Title, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). 

Tszyu’s original opponent, Keith Thurman, was forced to withdraw after suffering a biceps injury.

In the co-main event, heavy-handed 140-pound world champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) and hard-charging Mexican star Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (25-2-1, 17 KOs) meet in a clash of styles and personalities.

Also on the card, Cuban star and reigning WBA Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defends his belt against mandatory challenger Michael Zerafa. To kick off the pay-per-view telecast, WBC Flyweight World Champion Julio Cesar Martinez defends his title against unbeaten contender Angelino Cordova.

This card, the first in a landmark multiyear agreement between PBC and Prime Video, will be available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, as well as through traditional cable and satellite outlets and PPV.com. 

TIM TSZYU VS. SEBASTIAN FUNDORA

The Story

Tszyu, the second-generation all-action warrior who became a breakthrough star last year by bulldozing three world-ranked contenders, was all set to take on savvy veteran and former world champ Keith Thurman in a huge step forward. Then, injury took Thurman out of the fight and paved the way for Sebastian Fundora to step in from the undercard to the main event. 

Fundora is coming off a tough seventh-round stoppage at the hands of Brian Mendoza last April but had previously earned a reputation as a young fist-flinging pressure fighter on his way to world class prominence.

The Stakes

At stake is Tszyu’s WBO 154-pound Title and the vacant WBC Title. For Tszyu, his reputation as a “next big thing” in boxing—and all the big fights that go along with it—is also on the line. 

The Breakdown

Tszyu, who was training for a bout against orthodox mobile boxer Thurman, has had to switch up his prep work to now ready himself for an awkward 6-foot-6 southpaw pressure fighter in Fundora. That couldn’t have been easy for the 29-year-old.

The Australian star and son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, however, is deeply rooted in the basics of the game and speaks the universal boxing language of pressure, persistence, and supreme confidence, characteristics that have won him world acclaim with recent dominant wins over former world champ Tony Harrison, Carlos Ocampo, and Brian Mendoza. His big right hand might be especially useful against this upcoming southpaw challenge, as will his thudding body work, which could pay dividends against the lanky, long-limbed Fundora, who sometimes finds himself handcuffed on the inside.

The 26-year-old Fundora is looking for a quick brand rebuild after a rough KO loss in his last fight. Although often criticized for choosing to fight on the inside, the Coachella, California resident makes it work to his advantage, using his 80-inch reach to achieve awkward angles that generate surprisingly good leverage on his shots. Brutal beatings of Erickson Lubin and tough gatekeeper Jorge Cota, especially, speak to his ability to break down and bust up opposition. 

Expect Tszyu-Fundora to eventually become a phone booth war where Tszyu’s controlled aggression and heavier hands meet Fundora’s awkward busyness, ultimately negating the Australian’s nearly 10-inch disadvantage in both height and reach. This one will be a guaranteed fan-friendly battle for as long as it lasts.

ROLANDO ROMERO VS. ISAAC CRUZ

The Story

A study in opposites, Rolly vs. Pitbull is an intriguing pairing of wildly clashing mindsets and skill sets.

The 28-year-old Romero is a big-talking, flashy, power fighter with a kill-or-be-killed style that usually works to his advantage, but led to his sixth-round demise against Gervonta “Tank” Davis back in May of 2022. In his last bout, the Las Vegas native won the vacant WBA 140-pound World Title via controversial ninth-round stoppage of Venezuela’s Ismael Barroso.

Cruz, 25, is a stoic, no-nonsense fighter who won his first bit of world recognition as a late replacement for Romero against Gervonta Davis in December 2021, losing a competitive unanimous decision. Since the Davis fight, the Mexico City native is 3-0 with 2 KOs, including a one-sided stoppage of former world champ and Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa.  

The Stakes

At stake will be Romero’s WBA Super Lightweight World Title.

The Breakdown

Although he’s been able to smooth out some rough edges in recent fights, Romero is still, basically, bombs-away, looking for a kill shot with just about every punch. At times, his lack of stylistic refinement works to his advantage as he makes for an awkward opponent who can catch his opposition with big shots from unusual angles. Burdened with some significant defensive flaws, though, he’s still very much a fighter who needs to make offense his best defense. 

Cruz is a come-forward blue collar battler with a single-minded focus on applying pressure to wear down his opposition and force offensive openings. He can be free-swinging to the point of being wild—something which sometimes puts a cap on his one-punch KO power—but everything he lands is solid enough to make an impact. Blessed with a granite chin and a diminutive 5-foot-4 frame that he uses to get underneath shots, he’s yet to be dropped or even significantly buzzed in the ring. 

If Romero can’t hurt Cruz and/or find a way to dissuade or deflect his forward march, fans will be in for a fun, wild, and often sloppy clash of contrasting characters underneath the PBC on Prime main event.

For a closer look at Tszyu vs Fundora and Rolly vs Pitbull, check out our fight night page.