Gabriela Fundora eyeing drop in weight to 'make more history' after Marilyn Barillo fight
“Everyone and their mom wants to fight me now!”
Gabriela Fundora (15-0, 7 KOs) marvels at the thought with a trademark smile plastered across her face. “I guess it’s fun being the hunted, instead of the hunter!”
She sits upright on the ring apron inside the family’s custom-built training facility. In the shadows of the Tehachapi Mountains, California, the Fundora setup — led by her father and head trainer, Freddy — is isolated and humbling.
Miles of wilderness surround the complex. Bears, deers and mountain lions are the closest things they can call neighbors.
At the time of our conversation, the 23-year-old is just 10 days out from the first defense of her undisputed world titles at 112 pounds. By the lack of tension in her body, you wouldn’t know it.
“This is why we are in boxing,” she continues. “It’s for moments like this. To main event for the first time is such an honor for me, but that was always my aim. Knowing that people have paid to see me is pretty special.”
Fundora's 16th foe as a professional will be Marilyn Barillo (19-0-1, 3 KOs), currently ranked as the No. 1 women's flyweight contender by the IBF and WBO, fighting out of Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico. The 25-year-old opponent brings an unbeaten record to the Frontwave Arena on Saturday night in Oceanside, California, fighting away from home for the first time in her eight years in the paid ranks.
Last year, Fundora — Uncrowned's No. 5 pound-for-pound fighter in the world — rose to the top of the flyweight division, joining the WBA, WBC and WBO titles with her already-held IBF title to become boxing's youngest-ever undisputed world champion of the four-belt era, irrespective of gender. Knockout wins in world title fights against Arely Mucino, Christina Cruz and Gabriela Celeste Alaniz turned heads down at the lower weights.
“[I'm headlining] because I can win a fight in a number of ways, this will make me stand out to boxing fans,” Fundora says. “That's what I want — for fans to go home from a fight and remember me. If that is through knockouts, then great — as long as they go home knowing my name, then I have done my job.
“I have had this hard work ethic instilled in me by my family my whole life. We work as a team, a unit, and my success is their success. They have all made such sacrifices for me to get to where I am today, so my aim is to repay them in the only way I know how: by winning fights.
“The relationship with my father merges,” she continues, turning right to look at the head honcho who sits less than a foot from the champion. “He is a father first, but a coach a very close second. But in both aspects, I have so much respect and love for him. I put him on a pedestal as a father; like, he's the greatest thing in the world to me. And with that comes the trust that we can take into fights when he is the voice in my corner. It is unconditional. He is always going to look out for me, have my back and want the very best for me in life and in my career.
"But my mother is the mastermind behind everything. She boxed when she was younger so it really is a family affair. We got to travel the world in the amateurs as a family, which was just incredible. Not many families can say that. It's nice that she can come with me to awards shows and things, and get the recognition that she deserves in our team."
Gabriela is referring to the Female Fighter of the Year award she received at the 2024 Ring Magazine Awards in London — an accolade that has brought her, and her family, immense pride. Fundora also captured Fighter of the Year honors for Uncrowned.
At the end of the event in January, Fundora was pictured amongst a who's who of boxing greats from past and present. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, Roberto Duran, Oleksandr Usyk, Frank Warren — the scene was dripping in titles and achievements. What's striking is that she was the only woman included in the shot.
“Now I've got a little taste for it, it only makes me want to go on and achieve more,” she added, admitting there may have been some "fangirling" going on. "I have never had the mentality of just settling on what I have achieved — I want to go on and push as hard as I can. If you were to turn back the clock and tell me how my 2024 would work out, I guess I would be a little surprised at how quickly it has happened, as I am still only young. But achieving what I have has always been the aim, and now I get to enjoy the little sprinkles that come with the success.
“Women's boxing is in a great spot at the moment and I want to be the one that inspires a new generation coming through. Claressa Shields, Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, Skye Nicholson, Chantelle Cameron — these fighters are all making a big splash on the scene at the moment. But I believe there is plenty of pie to go around us all.
“I want to be the new face of the sport. I want people to come to my fights simply to watch me, not worrying about my opponent or the rest of the bill. That's what I want my legacy to be.”
Gabriela is flanked by her brother Sebastian, 27, who holds two world championships at super welterweight, and her 10-year-old sister Fabiola. She insists the youngest of the three will go on to be the biggest star, citing Fabiola's mean left hooks and moniker of the "Twisted Sister."
“Fabiola told me the other day that she wants to become the youngest undisputed world champion — so in eight years or so, you better watch out," she says. "She's already looking phenomenal and getting so much experience from me and Sebastian. Imagine what she can do, she's going to blow everyone out of the water.”
Gabriela insists that this Saturday’s fight wasn’t particularly made on short notice, but it’s still a credit to the Fundora philosophy that they are able to stay so active. Fighting isn’t just a job for the family, it’s a way of life — camps don’t exist when you stay ready.
“It’s just like blinking or breathing,” she explains. “There is no switch. Boxing is just a part of me and I’ll always be either doing it or thinking about it.”
With championships come attention and Gabriela is enjoying hearing fighters call her name for potential future bouts. Predictably, she is unwilling to be pressed on “what’s next” if she is successful against Barillo, but maybe unexpectedly, a move in the opposite direction might be on the cards.
“I am coming in light to a lot of my fights,” Fundora says, smiling again. “I would like to move down a weight to light-flyweight before I move up. I feel like I can take the opportunity now while I am still young and attempt to make more history. I mean, who goes down in weight?! Whoever’s got the belts at 108 [pounds], I’d be interested.”
We close with predictions. The champion is unwilling to show her hand, but expects to keep hold of her titles. “I don’t really do predictions. If Sebastian is fighting then, sure,” she says with a laugh. I counter by asking what Sebastian would predict and she answers with “knockout.”
On Saturday night, we’ll find out if big brother knows best.
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