In a captivating display of grit and resilience, Sebastian "The Towering Inferno" Fundora delivered a thunderous knockout with just one second remaining in the twelfth and final round to defeat Ermal "The Albanian Sniper" Hadribeaj. The thrilling super welterweight encounter, held at the luxurious Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Nevada, served as the main event of a card presented by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing and broadcast on DAZN and TNT. This report, detailing the dramatic conclusion and other notable bouts, is made available through sportsamo.com.
Fundora, a 25-year-old southpaw from Coachella, California, with a professional record of 25 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw (17 KOs), faced another southpaw in Hadribeaj, a 23-year-old fighter from Tirana, Albania, and Miami Beach, Florida, who entered the ring with a record of 23 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw (8 KOs). From the outset, Fundora’s significant height advantage was a tactical weapon. In the second round, he utilized his reach to land telling blows, momentarily putting Hadribeaj in a precarious position. However, the Albanian challenger displayed remarkable courage, fighting back and even finding himself in a position to trouble Fundora as the round drew to a close. The physical nature of the bout led to referee Thomas Taylor issuing a warning and deducting a point from Hadribeaj in the third round for excessive holding, a tactic he would employ throughout the fight in an attempt to neutralize Fundora’s reach.
The middle rounds, from the fourth through the tenth, were characterized by relentless action. Hadribeaj, undeterred by the point deduction and Fundora’s physical attributes, consistently forced his way inside, engaging in close-quarters combat. Fundora responded with sharp, short punches, often targeting the body, an area where he increasingly found success. Despite Hadribeaj’s determined efforts to make the fight a grueling brawl, Fundora maintained a noticeable edge, his power and accuracy gradually wearing down his opponent. The pattern of Hadribeaj’s inside fighting and Fundora’s response continued, punctuated by another point deduction for holding in the eleventh round, further highlighting the challenger’s tactical approach and the referee’s vigilance.
As the final round commenced, the outcome remained uncertain, with both fighters pushing for a decisive blow. In the dying seconds, Fundora unleashed a powerful left hand that sent Hadribeaj to the canvas. While Hadribeaj valiantly beat the count, the impact of the punch left him in no condition to continue. Referee Thomas Taylor wisely waved off the contest with a mere second left on the clock, awarding Fundora a spectacular, albeit hard-fought, victory. This dramatic finish underscores Fundora’s reputation as "The Towering Inferno," a fighter capable of producing explosive moments even in grueling, closely contested bouts. His ability to secure a stoppage at such a critical juncture speaks volumes about his composure and finishing power.
In the co-main event, former WBA super middleweight champion Armando "Toro" Resendiz of Guayabitos, Mexico, showcased his experience and power in a ten-round unanimous decision victory over Koen Mazoudier of Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia. Resendiz, boasting a record of 17 wins (11 KOs) against 3 losses, controlled much of the action against Mazoudier, whose record stood at 16 wins (6 KOs), 5 losses, and 1 draw. Resendiz’s power was evident when he rocked Mazoudier with a thunderous right hand in the final seconds of the fourth round. Despite this setback, Mazoudier demonstrated remarkable resilience, pressing the action from the sixth round onwards and giving the crowd an exciting display of offensive fighting. Resendiz, however, consistently landed the more impactful punches, demonstrating why he is a former world champion. In the final minute of the tenth round, Resendiz unleashed a flurry of unanswered shots that visibly hurt Mazoudier, though the Australian fighter managed to survive until the final bell. The judges scored the bout 98-92 and 97-93 twice, reflecting Resendiz’s clear superiority. Harvey Dock officiated the bout.
The super middleweight division also saw an undefeated contender in action as Jaime Osuna of Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico, secured a majority decision over Cristian Cangelosi of Palermo, Italy, and Brooklyn, New York. Osuna, now 12-0 (5 KOs), faced a stern test from Cangelosi, who held a record of 13 wins (5 KOs), 1 loss, and 1 draw. The bout was marked by back-and-forth action and shifts in momentum. Osuna suffered a cut over his right eye in the third round from a left hook, an early sign of the challenge Cangelosi presented with his cleaner boxing. However, Osuna demonstrated his own offensive capabilities in the fifth round, rocking Cangelosi. The fight developed into a slugfest, with Cangelosi answering back in the seventh round with a well-timed right hand that momentarily stunned Osuna. The final round saw both fighters giving their all, leaving the outcome in doubt until the scorecards were read. Two judges favored Osuna with scores of 77-75, while the third judge scored the bout an even 76-76. Robert Hoyle served as the referee.
In a swift and decisive performance, super middleweight Marco "El Tiburon" Romero of Olathe, Kansas, needed just the first round to dispatch Matias Ferreira of Rosario, Uruguay. Romero, maintaining his undefeated record at 16-0 (14 KOs), stopped Ferreira, who dropped to 8-4 (3 KOs), at 1:54 of the opening round. The bout, scheduled for eight rounds, ended abruptly when Romero countered a left hook from Ferreira with a powerful right hand that sent the Uruguayan to the canvas. Referee Tony Weeks immediately halted the contest following the knockdown, confirming Romero’s formidable knockout power.
Adding a note of disappointment to the evening, the scheduled bout between Brandon Figueroa and Tomoki Kameda was scratched. Figueroa was forced to withdraw after falling ill following a difficult weight cut. In a further blow, Figueroa was also stripped of his WBA featherweight title for failing to make the division’s weight limit, underscoring the extreme measures fighters sometimes undertake to make weight.
The event, which featured a dynamic main event and several competitive undercard bouts, provided boxing enthusiasts with a night of action and drama, further solidifying the reputation of the super welterweight division and its rising stars. The presence of seasoned promoters and broadcasters like DAZN and TNT ensures that such exciting matchups reach a global audience.
