ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Rio Rancho native and professional boxer Brian Mendoza is set to fight for his first World Title on Apr. 8 in California. Mendoza will take on World Boxing Council (WBC) interim junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora. With a win in this fight, Mendoza would become the fifth New Mexico native to become a World Champion.
“Once they offered it to me, I was like ‘yes,’ immediately. There was no like, I don’t need to, like whatever, just give me the contract and I am going to sign it. It’s huge. It’s everything. I mean, I was born and raised in New Mexico. That’s who I am and I have green chile in my veins, even after I get this belt. Because to me, there is no if. It’s already mine and I can’t wait to be a part of that small group,” said Brian Mendoza.
Mendoza is riding a two-fight-winning streak, but his opponent has also won seven straight and has defended his belt once before. Twenty-nine-year-old Mendoza knows this will be a big challenge but he is ready at this point in his career.
“I’m a different animal. You know, the old me, yeah, you know, it would have been a problem for him, but this one I see no way that he can actually beat me. Sure, you know, his height and his reach, this and that, but the way that I am training now, you know my team, I finally have my team the way I want it. It’s peak and I am a different animal. I have been sparring cruiserweights and people twice my size and still pushing them back, getting my hands on them, and it’s just different,” said Mendoza.
