Alan Dawson Uncrowned Updated Sun, October 18, 2026 at 4:44 AM UTC About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sebastian Fundora scored a buzzer-beating stoppage win over Ermal Hadribeaj to retain his WBC super welterweight championship Saturday night at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, but it was not without controversy.
While the 6-foot-6 Fundora's sheer size, activity and inside-boxing wore Hadribeaj down with time, the circumstances surrounding the finish will attract scrutiny.
Fundora (25-1-1, 17 KOs) had been lashing uppercuts at Hadribeaj for most of the fight, and paid particular attention to bodywork in the rounds leading up to the 12th. Hadribeaj (23-1-1, 8 KOs) was breathing heavily, with his jaw wide open, for much of the fight.
A late knockdown, at the very least, seemed likely. The only problem was, it came right at the literal end of the bout, as Fundora punched Hadribeaj from corner to corner. "The Towering Inferno" hit Hadribeaj with short-range left hands, one-twos and hooks, before a final straight clattered Hadribeaj to the canvas.
There, he lay exhausted, struggling to register the 10-count from referee Thomas Taylor, let alone beat it.
But Taylor didn't notice something, either: The final bell had already rung before Fundora landed that fight-finishing punch.
Taylor could have permitted Hadribeaj to climb to his feet without waving the fight off, since he wouldn't have been rescuing Hadribeaj from further punishment. Instead, the referee deemed it knockout defeat for the Albanian challenger instead.
"I liked knocking him out in the last second," a victorious Fundora said post-fight.
DAZN broadcaster Chris Mannix asked the 28-year-old what he wants next, in light of a probable imminent fight announcement involving the division's other titleholders, the unified champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis and the IBF ruler Josh Kelly.
"We want [to be the] undisputed [champion]," he declared.
Saturday night's TNT-broadcasted card was riddled with withdrawals from marquee names Jermall Charlo and Brandon Figueroa, but still had a notable moment further down the card, with burgeoning super middleweight prospect Marco Romero (16-0, 14 KOs) annihilating Braulio Matias Ferreira (8-4, 3 KOs) with a first-round knockout win.
In other results, Armando Reséndiz (17-3, 11 KOs) defeated Koen Mazoudier (16-5-1, 6 KOs) by unanimous decision, Jaime Osuna (12-0, 5 KOs) edged Cristian Cangelosi (13-1-1, 5 KOs) with a majority decision, and David Garcia (8-0, 6 KOs) beat Angel Carrillo (5-1-1, 2 KOs) by second-round finish.
WBC super welterweight championship: Sebastian Fundora (c) def. Ermal Hadribeaj by R12 TKO | Watch finish
Super middleweight: Armando Reséndiz def. Koen Mazoudier via unanimous decision (98-92, 97-93, 97-93)
Super middleweight: Marco Romero def. Braulio Matias Ferreira via R1 TKO | Watch finish
Middleweight: Jaime Enrique Osuna Diaz def. Cristian Cangelosi via majority decision (76-76, 77-75, 77-75)
Featherweight: David Garcia def. Angel Carrillo by Rd 2 KO
"It was an interesting fight," Fundora said. "I had to fight on the inside and show everybody again I can. I like knocking him out in the last second.
"We'll go back to the gym and work on some things. There were a lot of mistakes I did.
"It was a very active fight. It was an overhand that got him out."
On what's next, if he'd welcome a shot at the winner of a probable future fight between Jaron 'Boots' Ennis and Josh Kelly, Fundora said: "We're on the fourth defense. We want undisputed."
Big left hand from Hadribeaj in the 12th and final round! It's the only shot Hadribeaj has that could turn the fight but he's not doing enough with it. And anything he does now is just too late. It's not affecting Fundora, who fights with a smile on his face. The lovable psycho. Oh! Could this be a buzzer-beater?! Oh my goodness! Fundora flattens Hadribeaj RIGHT AT THE END! The bell rang but Hadribeaj was on the canvas. The referee counted! Hadribeaj tried to get up and was too dazed! It's a knockout! What a moment to get it! Only question is, should it have counted? Should Hadribeaj been allowed to make the count, and then survive the distance?
The extent of Hadribeaj's inability to hang effectively with Fundora is told through the referee's deduction of a point in the 11th for what he deemed excessive holding. And he was holding because of all the body shots Fundora kept spamming him with. Fundora knows there's no nothing Hadribeaj can do to win a round, let alone the fight. Hadribeaj is sluggish. One round left but the fight is over.
OH! Fundora snapped Hadribeaj's whole demenour with a brutal body shot! Hadribeaj seems like a different man! And Fundora knows it! He's hitting him to the body again and again!
Grueling has been a word we've used throughout this short, five-bout fight card in Las Vegas. And the main event is no different. It's a slog just to watch. Fundora now making Hadribeaj bleed from the mouth. Fundora returned to the stool smiling ear to ear.
Hadribeaj in the eighth was beginning to wear the damage from all the shots he'd been taking to the face. Straights down the middle. Jabs. And all those uppercuts. Fundora, meanwhile, had a far cleaner face.
Hadribeaj with a big left hand! But Fundora seems unfazed. Fundora pops a straight shot at Hadribeaj's head. Fundora almost doubling Hadribeaj's output now. Oh! Nice hook shots from Hadribeaj, even if he's slowing down, considerably. Mouth wide open.
Hadribeaj doing far better in this fight than I thought. I was expecting Fundora to have gotten the knockout by now. Hadribeaj, mouth open, may not be able to last the distance, particularly as Fundora out-lands him by a ratio of three to one.
Fundora threw an extraordinary amount of uppercuts in the fifth.
Hadribeaj's corner say they are in control, even if the bout is turning into a dog-fight. And their fighter lands a succession of good shots, punching up, from close-range. Fundora lands an uppercut then Hadribeaj lands a hook to either side of the face. Much better fight than I was anticipating. Hadribeaj came to win, sending Fundora back to his corner bleeding from the mouth.
Hadribeaj started holding, if not wrestling, in the third round. The referee deducted a point. Seemed like an early punishment, for me. A scrappy round, fought in close quarters with forearms against necks, knuckles against flesh.
Fundora's left hand rocks Hadribeaj in the second round — a sneaky shot from Fundora! He's hurt! He's smothering! Now he's unhurled a whirlwind of punches, trying to fight his way out of danger. Now we're fighting on the inside. Which … is not the best place to be if you're fighting Sebastian Fundora. Hadribeaj tries to finish strong to steal the round.
One of the most fun fighters to watch in boxing, Fundora towers over Hadribeaj. Like all his opponents, the difference is almost comical. Hadribeaj uses an even lower stance as he studies Fundora, throwing a shot midway through the opening round. We asked earlier how Hadribeaj could even bring in sparring partners who could replicate Fundora. Well, whatever he did, seemed to prepare him well enough for this start. Low on action but a good one for Hadribeaj by staying low, baiting him to stand tall so he can catch him over the top. Hadribeaj's stabbing jabs take a toll on Fundora's chest. Great work for the challenger.
One of the nicest guys in the business, walking out to heavy metal, on his way to hand out, what he hopes, is another bludgeoning for the ages.
"This was a very tough fight … this was an Australian warrior," said Resendiz.
"This is a fight I wanted to give the fans. My corner was urging me I had to finish strong. And we closed out strong. My ultimate dream goal would be Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez."
… we have a winner by unanimous decision…
The activity and pace in this fight has been a SLOG! "An otherwordly punch output," according to the DAZN commentator Corey Erdman. Hook shot from Mazoudier! And another! He's been finishing the fight in strong form! But Resendiz rocks Mazoudier! What a turnaround! This could shape up to be a dramatic buzzer-beater! My goodness!
A real turn of the tide in the ninth as Mazoudier snaps Resendiz's head sideways, hits him with bodyshots, and lands large sequences. Mazoudier rocks Resendiz's head. Again and again.
Source: Sports
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