The WBC world featherweight title is up for grabs this weekend as Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton clash at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Figueroa is the interim title holder, but the winner will become the full champion in a bout that serves as the chief support for the light-heavyweight showdown between unbeaten duo David Benavidez and David Morrell.
This is the second meeting between the pair after Fulton claimed a majority decision win back in 2021.
That was a super bantamweight bout and Figueroa has picked up three wins in a row since that defeat, the only loss on his professional record, while Fulton has also fought three times since and lost his own unbeaten record after being stopped by Japanese star Naoya Inoue in July of 2023.
Our article will preview the fight between Figueroa and Fulton and we will give you our three best bets for what is sure to be an entertaining fight.
Figueroa lost the first fight, but comes into the rematch as a deserved favorite and he looks well placed to take his revenge.
The Texan actually outlanded Fulton in the first meeting, but was less accurate in what was an incredibly close bout.
One judge scored it as a draw and the other two had Fulton by four rounds - which was perhaps generous even if the right man won on the day.
However, Figueroa was potentially struggling to make the weight at that stage of his career and he looks far more comfortable as a featherweight.
The 28-year-old comes into this bout in great form with three straight wins against quality opponents, including a sixth-round stoppage of Carlos Castro and a points win over Mark Magsayo.
In contrast, Fulton is at a bit of a crossroads after opting to pursue a bout with Inoue. The 30-year-old was stopped in the eighth in that bout against The Monster and returned against Castro in a 10-round contest.
Fulton did manage to grind out a win over Castro, but it was a split decision and he had to pick himself off the canvas to get the win.
Figueroa looks like the man in form and he carries a bit more power at this weight, so Fulton could be in line for a difficult evening against an opponent who has an intense pressure style and is happy to stand and trade.
Taking into account the prices, our second bet is the highlight of these three selections as one knockdown for Figueroa looks a distinct possibility.
The Heartbreaker has an impressive stoppage rate of 76%, with 19 of his 25 wins coming inside the distance and 11 of his last 12 wins have come via either KO, TKO or as a result of an opponent retiring.
Fulton was stopped by Inoue and there is no disgrace in that, but this is just his second bout at featherweight and in his debut he was sent to the canvas in the fifth round by Castro, who doesn’t carry the same kind of power his opponent on Saturday night possesses.
A Figueroa win and knockdown look good options, but that doesn’t necessarily mean an early finish is in store and if this fight reaches the 10th round there is a reasonable chance Fulton lands at least 250 punches.
Cool Boy Steph landed 269 in the first meeting between these pair and managed to enjoy pockets of success against one of the pound-for-pound kings in Inoue.
Fulton is a technically gifted fighter who is accurate with his shots, while Figueroa is more of a pressure fighter who will come forward.
The clash in styles makes this an intriguing fight and Figueroa’s intensity and energy gives him an edge, but he is also a target that Fulton should be able to land on at regular intervals.
Brandon Figueroa | Stephen Fulton | |
Money Line | -220 | +170 |
By KO, TKO, DQ | +250 | +850 |
By Decision or Technical Decision | +137 | +275 |
Read Brandon Figueroa vs. Stephen Fulton: Tale of the Tape on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.