The WBO’s order for Sebastian Fundora to defend his junior middleweight title against interim champion Terence Crawford may seem straightforward, but the situation is far more complex. Fundora’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, believes the 30-day negotiation window is effectively cut in half due to Crawford’s apparent focus on securing a fight with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

Lewkowicz suspects that Crawford, who is eyeing a massive payday against Alvarez, won’t seriously consider the Fundora fight until after Canelo’s September 14th bout against Edgar Berlanga. Lewkowicz is convinced that Crawford’s team won’t reach out until they know whether the Canelo fight is off the table, leaving little time for negotiations before the WBO’s deadline.

Alvarez, for his part, has remained non-committal about a potential Crawford fight, stating that the WBO order doesn’t necessarily kill the possibility of their matchup. However, if the Alvarez-Berlanga fight concludes without Crawford securing a deal, the Crawford-Fundora negotiations would have to move quickly or risk going to a purse bid—or possibly not happening at all.

Watch Canelo vs. Munguia highlights: Watch

Despite the uncertainty, Lewkowicz remains confident in Fundora’s chances against Crawford, particularly given Crawford’s recent struggle to secure a win against Israil Madrimov on August 3rd. Lewkowicz didn’t mince words, predicting that Fundora would knock out the 37-year-old Crawford if the fight were to happen.

The fight’s location adds another layer of complexity. While Lewkowicz prefers to keep the bout in the U.S. under the Premier Boxing Champions banner, Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh has financial backing for a December 21st card in Riyadh. Fundora’s price for traveling to Saudi Arabia would be significantly higher, but Lewkowicz asserts they are willing to make the trip if the money is right.

Ultimately, Lewkowicz is prepared for negotiations but is realistic about Crawford’s motivations. He believes that Crawford’s primary concern is securing the biggest payday possible, even if it means sidelining his pursuit of titles. The next move hinges on what happens on September 14th, and until then, both sides are left in a holding pattern.

Image Credit: Sky Sports