There have been more twists and turns in the Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman saga than anyone could’ve anticipated. Early last year, ‘The Towering Inferno’ stepped in as a last-minute replacement for Thurman, who had pulled out of his bout with Australia’s Tim Tszyu due to a shoulder injury. What followed was a literal bloodbath, and one of boxing’s biggest upsets of the year, as Fundora defeated Tszyu to capture the WBO and WBC super welterweight titles.

The 27-year-old successfully defended his belts against Chordale Booker earlier this year but was later stripped of the WBO title for refusing to face mandatory challenger Xander Zayas. Undeterred, Fundora went ahead with a rematch against Tszyu, proving his first win was no fluke by scoring a dominant seventh-round stoppage. Thurman was expected to be the third title defense, but Fundora’s hand injury during training camp forced the fight’s postponement.

Sebastian Fundora wasn’t the reason for the postponement, says boxing insider 

The 25th October fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas was supposed to be promoted by Premier Boxing Champions. However, boxing insider Rick Glasser believes there’s more to the story than meets the eye. “The real reason the Fundora-Thurman show is off, it was DOA, Dead On Arrival,” he wrote on X. “No ticket sales, as in none, & without any PPV guarantees from Amazon, coupled with the fact that PBC pays all production costs, it would’ve been a financial bloodbath!”

He also appears to have acquired a statement regarding the same from a “great Boxing source.” He added, “PBC canceled Fundora-Thurman because PBC is in the shit house financially, can’t afford any more loser shows, they’re running on smoke & mirrors, if Luis Decubas Jr was a funeral director, people would stop dying, as for a very sickly Al Haymon, no fighters are thanking him anymore, nor should they.”

Get the EssentiallySports Daily Newsletter. Stay ahead of the game with daily updates, exclusive stories, expert takes, and the biggest moments from the world's most popular sports.

Despite the claims, there’s no evidence to prove that the postponement was because of anything other than Sebastian Fundora’s hand injury. Regardless, PBC has a December 6 pay-per-view on Amazon Prime Video, which will feature Isaac Cruz and Lamont Roach Jr. competing in the super lightweight division.

Meanwhile, Boxing Scene reports that the PBC intends to reschedule the bout “ASAP.” And alongside the main event, the O’Shaquie Foster vs. Stephen Fulton and Jesus Ramos Jr. vs. Shane Mosley Jr. undercard fights will be rescheduled, too. This update will prove painful for Thurman, who was excited about his return. 

Keith Thurman thought he was exactly where he belonged

Before the postponement update dropped, Thurman was excited about the fight. At the age of 36, ‘One Time’ believed his comeback was more than just a return — it was a reminder of who he’s always been. “This is what the sport is all about,” Thurman said. “You put Thurman’s name next to anybody and I guarantee you it’s gonna be a fight you won’t wanna miss.” 

Confident as ever, Keith Thurman added, “They call him The Towering Inferno, but I’ve been in the fire. This is what I live for.” Despite the setbacks, the former unified welterweight champion was driven by passion. “Everything that’s happened in the past is water under the bridge,” he said. “Here I am, right here right now, back where I belong.”

That said, Keith Thurman will have to wait even longer for another shot at a world title. Whether the postponement stemmed from PBC’s financial struggles or Sebastian Fundora’s reported hand injury remains a mystery. But what do you think — could Glasser be right?