Plenty of world title boxing action over the weekend

There is plenty of world title fight action over the weekend, headed by the main event with Tim Tszyu against the late replacement Sebastian Fundora (20-1-1, 13) for the WBO junior middleweight title held by Tszyu at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the vacant WBC junior middleweight title also at stake.

Tszyu will be making his first defence of the WBO title.

Tszyu, who has a record of (24-0; 17) was scheduled to meet Keith Thurman, the former world welterweight champion, who had to withdraw from the fight due to an injury.

The Australian Tszyu was originally the interim WBO champion but was recently upgraded after a win over Brain Mendoza. He has also scored good wins over Tony Harrison and Carlos Ocampo in 2023.

Fundora served as a WBC interim champion for a while and has scored good wins over Sergio Garcia and Erickson Lubin.

Tszyu is favoured to win on a late stoppage.

ROLANDO ROMERO MAKES FIRST DEFENCE OF WBA BELT

WBA junior welterweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero (15-1; 13) makes the first defence of his title against Isaac Cruz (25-2-1; 17) from Mexico.

Romero’s only loss was against Gervonta Davis when he challenged for the WBA lightweight title in 2022. He then moved up to win the vacant WBA junior welterweight title in May 2023, stopping Ismael Barroso in nine rounds.

Mexico’s Cruz has won four fights on the bounce since losing to Davis in 2021.

Romero is favoured to win on points.

ERISLANDY LARA DEFENDS AGAINST MICHAEL ZERAFA

The WBA middleweight champion, Erislandy Lara (29-3-3; 17), defends against Australia’s Michael Zerafa (31-4; 19).

Lara was a middleweight champion for a short time when he won the vacant title by stopping Thomas LaManna inside a round. He made a defence with an eighth-round stoppage against Gary O’Sullivan in May 2022.

JULIO CESAR MARTINEZ MAKES SIXTH DEFENCE OF WBC TITLE

Julio Cesar Martinez (20-3; 15) defends his WBC flyweight title for the sixth time against Angelino Cordova (18-0-1; 12).

Prediction: Martinez can retain his title on the scorecards after an entertaining scrap.

Brian Mendoza (22-3; 16) challenges for the WBC interim super welterweight title against Serhii Bohachuk (23-1; 23).

Bohachuk will have every intention of upsetting Mendoza.

The only ten-round bout on the bill is Elijah Garcia (16-0; 13) against Kyrone Davis (18-3-1; 6), and there is also an eight-rounder at featherweight, where Mirco Cuello (13-0; 11) meets Sulaiman Segawa (16-3-1; 6).

In a six-rounder at junior lightweight Curmel Moton (2-0; 2) meets Anthony Cuba (7-0-2), and Kaipo Gallegos (3-0-1; 3), faces Eric Howard (6-1; 1) also over six.

In a scheduled four-round bout, debutant Adrian Neaves faces Steven Walker at junior welterweight.