During a discussion with Eric Gomez, president of Golden Boy Promotions, 3 Knockdown Rule co-host Mario Lopez spoke about Vergil Ortiz. He said, “Regardless of him, I guess, technically not being a champion, he’s got the most impressive resume in that weight class.” Now, one may agree or disagree with the statement. But a question lingers. Why, despite holding an interim title, has Ortiz ended up facing fourth-ranked contender Erickson Lubin instead of Sebastian Fundora, the full champion? The past few months have seen a perplexing situation unfold in the light middleweight division, perhaps boxing’s most stacked weight class currently.

After a potential fight with former welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. caved in, Sebastian Fundora stepped in to face Chordale Booker. A rematch against Tim Tszyu followed. He also had a fight scheduled with Keith Thurman this month, but an injury forced its cancellation. The matchup may now take place in January. Vergil Ortiz, meanwhile, defended his interim title against Israil Madrimov in February. Amid all this shuffle, a fight between Fundora and Ortiz never materialized, despite discussions last year that seemingly brought the two close to a deal. Some, including Ortiz’s trainer Robert Garcia, believe the WBC shares some responsibility for the delay.

Why has Sebastian Fundora yet to face Vergil Ortiz Jr.?

Ahead of the Ortiz-Lubin fight in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 8, the veteran trainer referenced something Eric Gomez said on 3 Knockdown Rule. “There’s nobody out there that could beat them. Look, Vergil is out of 154. There are four champions. Vergil’s the interim WC champion, but I think Vergil’s the best at that division,” Garcia stated.

He continued, explaining the WBC’s decision: “The WBC doesn’t call out the mandatory, which they should have done two fights ago, where Fundora has to fight Virgil because Virgil’s the interim champion.” Garcia’s reasoning is straightforward.

An interim champion exists for a reason. When the belt holder is injured or committed elsewhere, the interim can step in. In this case, however, the champion, Sebastian Fundora, is available. There is no reason he shouldn’t face the interim champion for a title defense.

“That’s the way it is. That’s the law. Those are the rules. But they just don’t do it. So Virgil is not the champion because the WBC hasn’t forced Fundora to fight Virgil,” Robert Garcia lamented.

The tug-of-war over Fundora vs. Ortiz

Fans may recall that last year, after a potential matchup with Terence Crawford fell apart, talks for a Fundora vs. Spence fight gained momentum. In that context, the division generated another set of discussions.

A fight between Vergil Ortiz and Jaron Ennis, who held the welterweight title at the time, also appeared on the horizon. But eventually fell through. Boots Ennis then proceeded to a title unification bout against Eimantas Stanionis in April. So, looking for a substitute opponent, the organizers reached out to Fundora’s team.

Garcia and others believe the situation warrants deep reflection. Perhaps Team Fundora wanted to play it safe. A win over Booker, a washed-out Tim Tszyu, and a potential triumph over Thurman, a former world champion, could elevate Fundora to bigger paydays. Vergil Ortiz, meanwhile, remains a formidable challenge. A loss to the heavy-hitting Texan could potentially derail Fundora’s momentum.

Ortiz enters the Lubin fight as the clear favorite. Once the November 8 bout concludes, and Fundora completes his fight with Thurman, the two sides could finally negotiate a showdown next year.

Do you agree with Robert Garcia’s perspective?