Sebastian Fundora outslugs Carlos Ocampo to win by unanimous decision

CARSON, California – Sebastian Fundora couldn’t stop Carlos Ocampo nor referee Jack Reiss.

But nonetheless, the unbeaten Fundora, fresh off a win over Erickson Lubin in a surefire 2022 'Fight of the Year' candidate in April, earned a clear victory over a game, brave Ocampo that surprisingly went the full 12-round distance at "The War Grounds," Dignity Health Sports Park.

"The Towering Inferno" scored a unanimous decision win on judges' scores of 117-111 (Rudy Barragan), 118-110 (Daniel Fitzgerald), and 119-109 (Dr. Lou Moret). Legendz TV scored it 117-111 for Fundora.

After taking punishment to the body in the middle rounds, it appeared the courageous Ocampo was on his way to being stopped. But the former welterweight contender turned junior middleweight veteran continued to recklessly pursue Fundora, often leaving himself open for big uppercuts on the inside. Nevertheless, the 6-foot-6 southpaw just couldn't land that perfect shot.

Prior to Saturday night, Ocampo (34-2, 22 KOs) hadn’t lost in 12 bouts since Errol Spence Jr. stopped him in their June 2018 fight for Spence’s IBF welterweight title at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

However, Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs), of Coachella, California, put that parade to an end with a decisive win over Ocampo, defending his WBC interim 154-pound title in the process. But the first slew of rounds were a rough patch for the big guy.

Ocampo came firing out the gates in round one and connected with a thudding right hand to the body that brought some of the crowd out of their seats. Ocampo then followed up with a left hand upstairs.

Ocampo came out blazing again to begin the second frame, but Fundora answered back with some artillery of his own—including a straight left hand—which drew blood from the nose of Ocampo.

Fundora continued to get caught in the third round as Ocampo landed a looping left to his jaw. As the round was coming to a close, Ocampo connected with left hand to the side of Fundora's head.

After the fifth round, Fundora began to tag Ocampo with ease. A sharp left snapped Ocampo's head back with 1:15 remaining in the frame. They spent nearly the entire round battling over real estate and firing shots at close range, but Fundora appeared to hurt Ocampo with a right hook late in the round.

“You know I like to break my opponent down, and he was very tough and his face swelled up too. But he banged. He’s a tough Mexican," Fundora said of Ocampo. "My hat's off to him. In the middle I wanted to see if I could hurt him. I know Spence caught him with a body shot and I saw in the middle of the fight he was open for the left uppercut to the stomach so I saw that would slow him down.”

The fight appeared to be ending early in the sixth round as a left hand from Fundora caused Ocampo to stumble. But in round seven, he briefly rallied midway through the frame as he traded shots upstairs with Fundora, who, once again, got the better of the exchanges.

A right hook from Fundora connected flush with just under a minute remaining in the round. Ocampo then responded with a right hand, but Fundora didn't budge.

Fundora nailed Ocampo with a slew of solid punches in the eighth round, but Ocampo remained on his feet.

Despite clearly being game and throwing a high volume of punches, Reiss warned Ocampo and his corner that he would stop the fight unless he showed him something more. Ocampo subsequently went out and made round nine a competitive one.

Fundora cracked Ocampo with a left hand late in the 11th round, which drew a smile from his adversary.

Ocampo, like the previous 11 rounds, came out ready to trade. But like much of the second-half of the fight, it was Fundora who outworking and outslugging his opponent.

“I am pleased with this performance because I did what we trained for. I trained for boxing, and I trained to stay at a distance, and I think we did that in the fight," said Fundora. "Of course, I want to face the winner of Charlo and Tszyu. I’m the WBC mandatory. I’ve earned my spot, and we’ll see what happens. But I hope I’m next. Fingers crossed."

In the chief support bout, Carlos Adames (22-1, 17 KOs) knocked out Juan Macias Montiel (23-6-2, 23 KOs) in the third round of a scheduled 12-round bout to win the WBC interim middleweight title.

The Dominican Republic's Adames rocked Montiel with a looping right hand before following up with a right hook that sent him stumbling forward.

Adames then nailed Montiel with an uppercut that sent him reeling to the ropes before referee Ray Corona waved off the fight.