Fundora Stops Hadribeaj With One Second Left in Round 12

Sebastian Fundora retained his WBC super welterweight title by stopping Ermal Hadribeaj with one second remaining in the 12th and final round at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Fundora, who improved to 25-1-1 with 17 knockouts, dropped Hadribeaj with a left hand in the closing seconds after a grinding, physical fight. Hadribeaj beat the count but referee Thomas Taylor had seen enough and waved off the contest with one second on the clock, handing the Albanian his first professional loss and dropping his record to 23-1-1.

How the fight played out

Fundora's size and reach caused problems for Hadribeaj from the opening bell, but the challenger refused to fight at a distance. Hadribeaj spent much of the fight ducking low and working on the inside, which led to two separate point deductions for excessive holding, one in the third round and another in the 11th. The stretch from the fourth through the 10th was relentless, with Hadribeaj forcing the action and Fundora answering with short punches and a steady body attack that eventually broke his opponent down. By the 12th round, that work paid off when Fundora found the finishing left hand.

It was not a clean or artistic performance from the champion. Hadribeaj had moments where he hurt Fundora, including late in the second round, and made the fight competitive on the scorecards through ten rounds before the penalties and accumulated damage caught up with him.

What it means for Fundora's title reign

Fundora leaves Las Vegas having made a hard, somewhat untidy defense look routine by fight's end, which is the kind of result that keeps a champion's stock steady with bettors even when the performance itself raises questions. He was fighting a come-forward, awkward southpaw who refused to respect distance, and he still found a way to close the show in dramatic fashion in the final seconds.

For the betting market, this is the profile fight fans should expect from Fundora going forward: a wide frame and reach that make him a live underdog-killer against smaller, less disciplined pressure fighters, but someone who can be out-worked on volume if he does not consistently find his jab and body shots early. Sportsbooks will continue to price him as a solid favorite in most 154-pound matchups given his size and title standing, though the Hadribeaj fight is a reminder he can be dragged into rough, ugly rounds against opponents willing to take penalties to stay close.

No opponent or date has been finalized for Fundora's next title defense.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Sebastian Fundora beat Ermal Hadribeaj?

Sebastian Fundora stopped Ermal Hadribeaj with a left hand that dropped him with one second remaining in the 12th round, prompting referee Thomas Taylor to wave off the fight at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

What is Sebastian Fundora's record after beating Ermal Hadribeaj?

Sebastian Fundora improved to 25-1-1 with 17 knockouts after retaining his WBC super welterweight title against Ermal Hadribeaj, who fell to 23-1-1.

Why was Ermal Hadribeaj penalized during the fight?

Referee Thomas Taylor deducted two points from Ermal Hadribeaj for excessive holding, one point in the third round and another in the 11th round, as he tried to neutralize Sebastian Fundora's reach advantage at close range.