BOXING: ‘Ready when you are’: Massive rematch twist as agent makes shock Tszyu U-turn
Sebastian Fundora’s camp has made a dramatic backflip after controversy erupted over claims there was a “verbal agreement” for a rematch.
Sebastian Fundora’s camp says it will honour a rematch agreement with Tim Tszyu despite initially suggesting the Australian would be made to wait for another crack at the new super middleweight champion.
Fundora’s agent Sampson Lewkowicz raised eyebrows after Sunday’s dramatic, bloody world title fight, saying there was no written agreement for a rematch and suggesting he would look to maximise his client’s income with another fight.
Tszyu’s manager has now branded suggestions no contract exists for a rematch against Fundora as “s … stirring” – while also stressing his client should have the right to again fight for both the WBO and WBC titles “when he can see”.
Exactly who Tszyu fights next remains uncertain after the popular Australian poster boy lost his WBO super welterweight crown to Fundora in the bloody Las Vegas headliner.
Some of the names already being tossed about include Errol Spence Jnr, WBA champ Israil Madrimov and, most obviously, the Fundora rematch.
Certainly Tszyu is entitled to a do-over given a nasty head cut suffered late in the second round of his world title fight – and caused by a stray Fundora elbow – not only left him fighting “completely blinded” for 30 minutes, but turned the complexion of the fight upside down.
Yet despite facing enormous obstacles through the ensuing 10 rounds, Tszyu still only finished one point from victory in a gutsy split decision loss.
Had Tszyu won, there was talk of him fighting either Terence Crawford or Errol Spence next – however both those stars have now gone public in their pursuit of Fundora.
The WBO on Monday also announced Crawford as mandatory for the new champ.
While it was initially reported a rematch deal had already been struck between the Tszyu and Fundora camps prior to fighting, reports emerged on Monday that no such clause existed in the contracts signed by both fighters.
However, Lewkowicz has since released a statement and declared he would “honour” the verbal agreement for a rematch.
“We were all so eager to make this fight that many of our agreements were made verbally,” Lewkowicz said.
“There wasn’t enough time. But I wish to make it clear that Team Fundora will honour the agreement. My word is always equal to a signed contract.
“Tim Tszyu, your rematch is ready when you are.”
Although he was insistent the rematch would happen, Lewkowicz reiterated the timing of the fight would depend on Tszyu and how he heals.
“It all depends on Tim Tszyu,” Lewkowicz said.
“If he doesn’t take the rematch, we will take the WBO mandatory or Spence, whatever the WBO says, but the first priority is the rematch with Tim Tszyu.”
Lewkowicz’s statement goes against his post-fight claims when he said there was nothing in place between the two camps except for that “verbal” agreement and suggested there would be a fight between the two competing again.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia in the world’s fight capital on Sunday however, Jennings laughed off the suggestion there was no official paperwork in place, responding: “A verbal contract?”
“Sampson, come on brother.
“There’s no such thing in boxing.
“He knows that, and is just saying what he is to get a reaction.
“Sampson is a bloke I’ve known for a long time.
“He’s an old school promoter who likes to s … stir and rock the boat.
“That’s all this is.
“He knows saying something like that gets a reaction and attention for his fighter.
“But talk is cheap.
“There’s definitely a contracted arrangement for a rematch that has a time frame on it.”
Jennings added a rematch in Australia was the “perfect” scenario.
“But it’s not all as simple as that,” he stressed.
“Because there will now be issues in relation to how Sebastian moves forward as unified champ and taking on some of the big fights that we were considering.
“But I can tell you 100 per cent that Tim would love to fight Sebastian Fundora again when he is able to see him.
“Because, yes, Fundora won the fight.
“But he won the fight against a guy who couldn’t see.
“Imagine what happens if Tim Tszyu could see
“So we’ll sit down with No Limit and work out what is next”.
Soon after, he added: “Tim Tszyu didn’t lose any stock last night.
“If anything, it went up.
“But the reality at this level is that when you get beat, you’ve got to go back and then take a few extra steps to get to where you were.
So we’ll go work out what is best for Tim next and go from there.”
While both Jennings and No Limit have confirmed a written rematch clause is in place, it appears both Spence and Crawford will look to use their heavyweight influence to scupper those plans.
While Fundora was still celebrating in the ring on Saturday night, Spence stepped inside the ropes, faced off with the hulking southpaw and announced himself as his next rival.
Almost immediately on social media however, Crawford demanded it be him who is next for ‘The Towering Inferno’ – with WBO president Paco Valcarcel soon after confirming ‘Bud’ as mandatory for the title.
Elsewhere, the WBC could also order Fundora to defend his title against Ukranian Serhii Bohachuk, who won himself the interim strap on the undercard against Brian Mendoza.
Regardless, Jennings added his client would now disappear to holiday in Hawaii.
“He’s going to chill for a few weeks,” the agent said. “Float around in the salt water and give his body a chance to recover after 20 weeks in camp.
“As always, I’ve asked him to stay away from the gym.
“But I know on day three he’ll send me his traditional ‘hello’ picture – on a treadmill, punching a bag or whatever, just to give me the s … s.
“But he’ll then be back home to work on what’s next.”
