Sebastian Fundora stops Ermal Hadribeaj in final round to retain WBC title
Fundora kept his super-welterweight belt with a last-second stoppage in Las Vegas, though Uncrowned questioned whether the decisive punch landed after the bell.
Sebastian Fundora retained his WBC super-welterweight title in Las Vegas on Saturday, 17 October, stopping Ermal Hadribeaj with a left hand at the end of their 12-round fight at the Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan. The finish kept Fundora's bid to unify the 154-pound division alive, but Uncrowned questioned whether the final bell had sounded before the decisive punch landed.
How Fundora’s title defence ended
The Guardian reported the stoppage at 2:59 of the final round, with one second remaining on the fight clock. It was Fundora's fourth successful defence of the WBC title. His record moved to 25 wins, one loss and one draw, including 17 knockouts; Hadribeaj, who entered unbeaten, fell to 23 wins, one loss and one draw.
Uncrowned's live account said the bell had already rung before Fundora's punch and questioned referee Thomas Taylor's decision to count out Hadribeaj. Taylor ruled a stoppage, according to that account. The Guardian recorded the finish at 2:59; no official resolution of the timing question was established in the reporting.
Hadribeaj, an Albanian fighter based in Miami, had earned his title shot by beating previously unbeaten Bakary Samake earlier this year, The Guardian reported. Against Fundora, he attacked the body early, crouched under the champion's punches and landed looping shots over the top. Fundora caught him in the second round, while Hadribeaj lost points for holding in the third and 11th rounds.
Fundora’s pursuit of an undisputed title
Fundora said the fight forced him to work on the inside and that he would return to the gym to fix aspects of his performance. ‘It was dramatic to knock him out at the last second,’ he said, according to The Guardian. His comments followed a mandatory defence that took him the full distance before the final exchange.
Asked by DAZN broadcaster Chris Mannix about his next target, Fundora said he wanted the winner of a potential meeting between unified champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and IBF titleholder Josh Kelly, Uncrowned reported. ‘We want [to be the] undisputed [champion],’ Fundora said. That is his stated ambition; no next bout was confirmed in the reports.
On the same card, Armando Resendiz beat Koen Mazoudier by unanimous decision in a 10-round super-middleweight bout. The judges scored it 98-92, 97-93 and 97-93, according to The Guardian and Uncrowned.
Read in depth: Sports
Kevin Durant and Suns owner Mat Ishbia exchange posts over his Phoenix tenure
The Houston Rockets forward objected to Ishbia’s account of the Suns’ 2023 trade for him. Ishbia said he was describing the team’s direction, not blaming Durant.
IllustrationNBA sportsbook partners bar parlays and other bets vulnerable to manipulation
The league and its betting partners have barred several player and game wagers after reviewing markets linked to earlier gambling scandals, according to reports on October 16.
Sources and context
- Fundora brutally knocks out Hadribeaj with one second left to retain 154lb titleThe Guardian (article credits “Agencies”; specific agency not identified in the retrieved text)
- Sebastian Fundora brutally KOs Ermal Hadribeaj to retain WBC title, set up potential 'Boots' Ennis fightYahoo Sports, reporting provider Uncrowned
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.