Brian Mendoza made some believers out of doubters by knocking out former 154-pound champion Jeison Rosario in his last fight.
Mendoza’s motivation remains the same in advance of his fight against Sebastian Fundora on April 8 as it did before he upset Rosario. Several sportsbooks have listed Fundora as a 14-1 favorite over Mendoza, even after Mendoza dropped Rosario twice and stopped him in the fifth round November 5 at The Armory in Minneapolis.
The undefeated Fundora is a 6-foot-6 southpaw who will defend his WBC interim super welterweight title against Mendoza at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs), of Coachella, California, and Mendoza (21-2, 15 KOs), of Albuquerque, New Mexico, will meet in the 12-round main event of a “Showtime Championship Boxing” tripleheader.
The winner will move into position to face Jermell Charlo or Tim Tszyu, whose fight for Charlo’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 154-pound crowns will be rescheduled when Charlo’s left hand is fully healed.
“You know, before [I fought Rosario] I said I wanted to add a former unified world champion to my resume,” Mendoza recalled during a recent virtual press conference. “And people, you know, scoffed and laughed. And I was l like, ‘All right, keep laughing.’ And it’s more about that. It’s just, you know, you don’t have to believe me, I’m gonna show just with my actions.
“And that’s what I wanna do. I wanna go out there and prove that I’m one of the best, and especially in this division. And that’s the goal, so it’s more about, you know, just proving to people. Because I know you don’t have to just believe my words, but I wanna go out and prove what I say, that I’m gonna shock the world and pull off another big upset.”
Rosario was a much smaller favorite, approximately 3-1, when Mendoza replaced Yoelvis Gomez (6-0, 5 KOs) as Rosario’s opponent on 10 days’ notice because the Cuban southpaw suffered an injury to his right wrist while training. Mendoza knocked Rosario to the canvas in the second round and viciously knocked him out with a right uppercut in the fifth round.
Though only 27, the Dominican Republic’s Rosario (23-4-1, 17 KOs) retired in his locker room after Mendoza defeated him.
“Even after the fight, you know, people were saying I just caught him or this and that,” Mendoza said. “But like I said, you know, people aren’t seeing the experience, you know, the little subtle tricks and subtle stuff that came into that fight. … I mean, if you ask the sportsbooks, I’m still a huge, super underdog in this. So, we’re just gonna have to see. You know, it’s just another one. I’m proving myself each and every time out and, like I said, you know, the level I’m at right now, it’s just I feel like I can’t be beat.”
Points losses to unheralded Larry Gomez (10-2, 8 KOs), a split decision in November 2019, and contender Jesus Ramos (19-0, 15 KOs), a unanimous decision in September 2021, removed Mendoza from championship contention. Eighteen months later, the 29-year-old Las Vegas resident is one more upset away from getting an opportunity to become boxing’s fully unified 154-pound champion by battling the winner between Houston’s Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) and Sydney’s Tszyu (22-0, 16 KOs).
“Honestly, I’m kind of enjoying this whole B-side thing,” Mendoza admitted. “It makes a victory that much sweeter. … It’s gonna be another explosive upset, just like the last one. You know, people were laughing and doubting and everything … and then I went in there and proved it. And I’m gonna do the exact same thing April 8th.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.