Former world champion Brian Mendoza liked his view from the top. A win over the top-rated Cuban star Yoenis Tellez could put him back in the world title on-deck circle.
Mendoza will take on Tellez in a super welterweight showdown on March 28 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The two former champions will be in the co-main event, supporting WBC super welterweight world champion Sebastian Fundora defending his world title against former unified world champion Keith Thurman in the main event.
Mendoza-Tellez was slotted to replace the postponed semi-main between Frank Sanchez and Richard Torrez Jr.
Tellez (11-1, 8 KOs) won the WBA (interim) title with a March 2025 UD 12 over former world champion Julian Williams. But he lost the belt in his first defence last August. However, Tellez comes into the fight off a December win, and he is excited to get back into title contention.
“I respect Brian Mendoza and everything he’s done, but on March 28, I’m coming hungry and ready to seize this opportunity,” said Tellez. “I’ve worked too hard to let this moment pass me by. I’m prepared to leave everything in the ring, because my goal is to get back to that world title fight, and this is a major step in that direction”, he said.
New Mexico native, now Vegas-residing Mendoza (23-4, 17 KOs), earned the WBC (interim) title with a highlight-reel KO of reigning world champion Sebastian Fundora in April 2023. He followed up that win by traveling to Australia for another huge bout to challenge (then) WBO 154-pound world champion Tim Tszyu, losing by UD 12.
In his next fight, he sure didn’t come back soft, stepping in with 154-pounder Serhii Bohachuk. Mendoza has had a career of pulling off huge wins, and he is looking to do the same against Tellez.
In 2022, he knocked out former unified 154-pound champion Jeison Rosario. In 2021, he won a decision against (now) interim WBC middleweight champion Jesus Ramos Jr. He is now looking to add Tellez to his list of big wins.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be back in Las Vegas on a card like this,” said Mendoza. “A win here turns everything around and puts me right back where I belong, with the best in the world at 154 pounds. I’m hungrier than ever to get back to the top and ready to knock out whoever gets in my way, starting with Tellez.”
Big fight? Big opponent? Pulling off a big win? Don’t count out Brian Mendoza.