PBC Suffer Huge Blow to First Pay-Per-View Event With Prime Video

On Saturday, March 30, Keith Thurman was due to clash with Tim Tszyu at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the first PBC pay-per-view event with Prime Video. The pair have already taken part in a press conference, with Tszyuand “One Time” both recently speaking to Dan Rafael about the upcoming bout. As revealed by Rafael, Thurman has picked up an injury and is out of the March 30 card.

Attention has quickly turned to what happens next for the upcoming PPV event, and it has been confirmed that hard hitting 154 lb. contender Sebastian Fundora will be the opposition for the Australian fighter.

Keith Thurman Injury Rules Him Out of Tim Tszyu Fight

Possible Replacement

The original X post from Rafael detailed Thurman had sustained an injury, and the fight was in doubt as per a source: “Per source involved in the event: Keith Thurman has some sort of injury & March 30 fight is in doubt. ‘How many times have you seen a fighter go to the doctor 12 days before a fight for an injury and the fight go through? It doesn’t look good,’ source said.” 

Losing Thurman from the card is a big blow to the event, as it is the first PPV for PBC with Prime Video. Rolando Romero is due to face Issac Cruz, with Erislandy Lara–Michael Zerafa and Sebastian Fundora vs. Serhii Bohachuk as the original PPV opener. Bohachuk will remain on the undercard as planned.

Sebastian Fundora

The fight between Tszyu and Fundora will be for the vacant WBC 154 & probably Tszyu’s WBO strap, pending WBO approval. In a recent press release, Fundora spoke on his hopes of facing Tszyu in the future: “Of course I’d want to face Tim Tszyu next if we both win,” said Fundora. “He’s the number one guy in the division and I’d be right under him after my fight. I want that fight and I’ll be waiting for it.”

The fight has come a lot sooner than the 6’6″ Fundora, 20-1-1 and nicknamed “The Towering Inferno” could have ever anticipated.

The 26 year old Californian was to have fought on the Tszyu-Thurman PPV undercard in the first fight since his only pro defeat. That came in April 2023 in a surprise KO loss against Brian Mendoza.  Fundora was slated to meet  Serhii Bohachuk in a 12 round battle for the vacant WBC junior middleweight title.

Instead, it appears the Fundora bout with Tszyu will be for the Australian’s WBO title and it’s unclear whether Bohachuk will fight on the undercard still or not? Interestingly, Tszyu defeated Mendoza himself by 12 round punishing round decision in Australia last October.