Sebastian Fundora retained his WBC super welterweight title on October 17, 2026, with a dramatic 12th-round TKO against Ermal Hadribeaj in Las Vegas. The fight ended with a knockout punch from Fundora just as the final round clock expired, a long, straight left hand that sent Hadribeaj down. Although Hadribeaj rose before the referee’s ten count, referee Thomas Taylor stopped the fight immediately and ruled a TKO victory for Fundora at 2:59 of the last round. The finish stirred debate as the knockout punch seemed to land after the bell, sparking criticism from boxing figures.

Both Terence Crawford and Timothy Bradley publicly expressed that the referee’s decision to stop the fight was questionable. Bradley praised referee Taylor’s overall reputation but said he had an off night with his handling of the stoppage, while Crawford argued that since Hadribeaj got up in time, the fight should have been allowed to continue to a decision. This controversy followed a fight where Hadribeaj had already lost points in rounds three and eleven due to holding, indicating a tough night for the unbeaten challenger.

Fundora dominated the bout despite these moments and appeared well on track to win by decision before the last-second TKO. Hadribeaj, who entered the fight unbeaten at 23-0-1, posed some early challenges with power shots on the inside, but overall Fundora controlled the pace. His size, stamina, and skill helped him manage the fight expertly, maintaining his reputation as one of boxing’s most captivating champions.

Looking ahead, Fundora faces potential unification challenges, including a possible fight against Jaron “Boots” Ennis, should Ennis prevail in his upcoming match against Josh Kelly. However, critics including Crawford have highlighted vulnerabilities in Fundora’s performance, suggesting that tougher tests await. Fans remain eager to see how Fundora performs against top-tier opposition and if the discussions around his finishing ability and fight management will evolve.