Almost three years have passed since Mendoza’s seventh-round destruction of Sebastian Fundora. Not only have they not fought again, Mendoza doesn’t think Fundora ever truly wanted to avenge the only loss of his nine-year professional career after suffering such a devastating defeat.

“If something like that happened to me, if the tables were turned, I would definitely want my get-back,” Mendoza told The Ring. “But everybody’s different. We’re not all the same. I feel like as long as he’s got titles, I’m gonna want the rematch. But they don’t mention my name, they don’t acknowledge it, and they just act like it never happened.”

Mendoza lost back-to-back 12-round, unanimous decisions to former WBO champ Tim Tszyu and Ukrainian contender Serhii Bohachuk in the 12 months after his three-punch combination flattened Fundora in April 2023. Fundora responded by beating Australia’s Tszyu by split decision in their memorable bloodbath in March 2024 and defended the then-vacant WBC super welterweight title he won that night twice, including a stoppage of Tszyu in their rematch eight months ago.

Albuquerque’s Mendoza (23-4, 17 KOs) can regenerate interest in a rematch with Fundora on Saturday night, though, if he beats Cuban contender Yoenis Tellez (11-1, 8 KOs) in their 12-round junior middleweight match on the Fundora-Keith Thurman undercard at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Facing Fundora, The Ring’s second-ranked 154-pound contender, a second time was one of Mendoza’s motivations for taking this difficult fight on only three weeks’ notice once heavyweight Frank Sanchez withdrew from his IBF eliminator versus Richard Torrez Jr. due to a knee injury.

The 12-round bout between Mendoza and Tellez replaced Sanchez-Torrez as the co-feature of a Premier Boxing Champions’ pay-per-view show Amazon’s Prime Video will distribute (8 p.m. ET; 5 p.m. PDT; $74.99).

“Another victory like this, and in the co-main event when we’re on the same card, it’s gonna put more pressure on him to take [the rematch],” Mendoza said. “And as long as he has a world title, I’m gonna want that rematch. I’m gonna be pushing for it and getting this victory to put some pressure on him.”

Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) is almost a 4-1 favorite versus Thurman (31-1, 23 KOs, 1 NC), according to DraftKings, which also lists Tellez as a 3-1 favorite over Mendoza.

Fundora, of Coachella, California, opened as an 11-1 favorite to defeat Mendoza. Their fight unfolded accordingly for six rounds, through which Fundora led by scores of 60-54, 60-54 and 59-55.

Mendoza, who took the WBC interim title from Fundora, capitalized on what Fundora considers a momentary lapse in concentration by drilling the 6-foot-6 southpaw with a left hook that abruptly altered the course of their careers. Fundora stumbled backward and Mendoza immediately followed up with a destructive right-left combination that dropped Fundora flat on his back.

A stunned Fundora couldn’t get up and referee Ray Corona counted him out 39 seconds into the seventh round of a main event Showtime televised from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

“People talk about how I was losing rounds and this and that, but he was in there with me,” Mendoza said. “He knew what was going on. He knows very much that wasn’t a lucky shot, that it was something that was set up. There’s a reason, if it’s so easy, why they didn’t just run it back real quick and take me out. There’s a reason they didn’t do that.”