After the fight: Sebastian Fundora vs. Erickson Lubin and fighter safety

The fierce fighting between super welterweights Sebastian Fundora and Erickson Lubin was ferocious and thrilling, producing an epic bout. 

The April 16 matchup between Sebastian Fundora and Erickson Lubin flew under the radar but culminated in a fistic explosive classic boxing bout.

Fundora and Lubin exchanged thunderous punches for nine exhilarating rounds to captivate the Showtime audience and those watching live at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, the world’s fight capital. However, Fundora and Lubin might have lost something significant in the ring that night.

All boxing fans hope for contests a tenth as entertaining as Fundora vs. Lubin. Everyone can respect their spirited battle of wills where both combatants tried to out-slug the other, but there’s a crucial cost for fighting that way.

Fundora and Lubin aren’t mainstream draws. They’re serious boxers who prefer to fight instead of talk.

They’re throwbacks to many hardnosed, no-frill tough guys of the 20s and 30s. Fundora and Lubin don’t have millions of social media followers, and they don’t spew outlandish quotes for attention.

They fight because they love it, and both share the dream of being world champions.

Before the opening bell, Fundora and Lubin radiated focused energy in their corners as they bounced on their toes, readying to burst out of their corners. The two southpaws mirrored each other in stance and desire as they traded power-punching combinations.

The optics of the 6-foot-6 Fundora exchanging blows with the 5-foot-10 Lubin added to the spectacle. The shorter, muscular ‘Hammer’ collided with ‘The Towering Inferno,’ as both were relentless to overpower the other.

Lubin was the first to wilt. He was under the pressure of Fundora’s incredible punch output.

According to CompuBox, Fundora threw 157 punches in the first two rounds and landed 45 of them. Few can stand up to that type of punishment or can deliver that workload.

In the closing seconds of round two, Lubin went down from a Fundora right lead uppercut. Using the ring, he pulled himself to his feet and finished the round on unsteady legs.

Fundora kept up his assault in round 3, but Lubin matched Fundora’s passion. Lubin fought off the ropes for much of the round but managed to battle his way back into the fight and bloodied Fundora’s nose.

Sebastian Fundora defended his WBC interim super welterweight title against Erickson Lubin and could be in line for a title shot

When Lubin was knocked out by Jermell Charlo in 2017, his chin and heart were questioned. Lubin fought to erase those false perceptions as much as he fought to beat Fundora.

Fundora and Lubin relentlessly went at each other round after intense round. Defense went out the window, and both men tried to beat the other into submission.

The boxing match turned into a pugilistic tug of war, and neither Fundora nor Lubin wanted to be outdone by the other.

In round 7, Fundora repeatedly smashed Lubin’s face with uppercuts. They kept landing, so he kept throwing them. Lubin appeared to be on his way out, but he found a wave of vitality out of necessity.

If Lubin didn’t act, he would have been rendered unconscious. His last stand nearly worked as he dropped Fundora for the first time in his career with a series of left hands.

As Fundora dropped to a knee, he cursed himself for his moment of weakness. Lubin won the round, but Fundora’s resilience roared back in rounds 8 and 9.

Fundora’s uppercuts and hooks pummeled the right side and jaw of Lubin. Blood seeped out of Lubin’s nose and mouth.

His right eye closed, and that side of his face was severely swollen. Lubin finished round 9 on his feet, but his trainer, Kevin Cunningham, stopped the fight.

The sight of Lubin’s face and the growing regularity of the punches he took likely influenced Cunningham’s decision. Someone ringside disgustingly pelted Cunningham with ice out of disagreement with his decision.

Cunningham saved Lubin from himself. Warriors often don’t see their hubris, but a good trainer knows when to step in.

If a trainer cares about their fighter, they will prevent them from taking unnecessary damage. It can save a boxer’s life or protect their quality of life.

Fundora absorbed 149 punches, and Lubin took 255, according to CompuBox. Both walked away with battle scars and damage that can’t be seen or quantified.

Even if a boxer has a granite chin like Fundora, the rocky substance of their grit gets worn down over time. The human body can only take so much before it breaks.

Fundora vs. Lubin was compelling and enjoyable to watch. Both performed admirably, but Fundora earned glory with his round 9 TKO.

Time will tell if Fundora’s win was a pyrrhic victory. He has the interim WBC super welterweight title and could become the full champion in the future.

Or he might have lost part of himself in the ring with Lubin. That’s the trade-off for a boxer, making it the “cruelest sport,” as described by Joyce Carol Oates.

It’s another reminder of why boxing can’t be played and why boxers deserve respect.