The undisputed 15-0 flyweight titlist Gabriela Fundora took on the 19-0-1 Marilyn Badillo Saturday night in the main event of an Ocenaside, California card . The scheduled 10 rounder was broadcast live on the DAZN streaming service. It was obvious at the opening bell that defending champion Fundora towered over her undefeated foe. With that being said, Fundora largely spent the round firing straight lefts behind a southpaw jab. The defending champion went on to turn up the heat in the second, landing power shots essentially at will. Badillo tried to employ a Tysonesque crouching style in the third, Still, she couldn’t get through Fundora’s jab.
The challenger looked a bit more effective of the fourth, which made things interesting. Indeed, Badillo had her best round of the fight up until that point of the match. Yet Fundora still appeared to have possibly won the chapter. Sure enough, by the fifth round Fundora simply seemed to be edging the fight as a whole. Fundora’s jab, and Badillo’s lack of power, was telling the story of the bout. Fundora continued to crack away at Badillo in the sixth. It was worth wondering at that point whether or not the fight would go the distance.
Credit had to go to Badillo in the seventh round, as she simply wouldn’t stop fighting. Yet the bout was looking more and more like a lost cause for the gutsy contender. It proved to be just that in the final seconds of the chapter. A series of shots put Badillo on the mat. Although the challenger beat the count, the referee wisely stopped the one sided fight, for it seemed as if Badillo had finally lost her desire to continue. “I knew the stoppage was going to come,” Fundora said after the bout was stopped. “It’s almost like a train. Stay on her. Stay consistent.” Although Fundora is quite friendly to speak with, she’s a dominant fighter, who isn’t afraid to end the night early. At just 23 years of age, she’s likely to remain a force for quite some time.
Although already well regarded, this was the first time that Fundora found herself in a main event. It may have been the first time, but few would argue it will have been the last. Fundora, after all, clearly aims to keep plugging along. With more performances like Saturday’s, her reputation will no doubt continue to grow.
