DESPITE losing their first encounter by the finest of margins, Brandon Figueroa has displayed far greater improvements than Stephen Fulton ahead of their rematch.
The pair treated fans to a compelling battle back in 2021. That time, with both seasoned combatants colliding for the unified super bantamweight crown, it was Fulton, 22-1 (8 KOs), who ultimately emerged victorious.
But this time, Figueroa, 25-1-1 (19 KOs), will enter their clash at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, as the champion, putting his WBC world featherweight title on the line when they square off on the undercard of David Benavidez vs David Morrell this Saturday.
Fulton, of course, can take plenty of confidence from having already beaten his domestic rival.
It was a more measured performance from the slick technician, after all, that saw him edge a majority decision, capitalising on his opponent’s defensive errors.
And yet, since then, Figueroa has made all the necessary adjustments to produce a more comprehensive performance, hoping that, by not allowing himself to get befuddled by Fulton’s ring craft, his greater physical attributes will prove to be significant.
Based on his last three outings, it could be said with a high degree of conviction that ‘The Heartbreaker’ is now a different fighter, no longer entering the pocket with his chin in the air but instead adopting a vastly refined style, making his mountainous frame a more awkward target for his shorter opponents to land cleanly on.
Sure enough, his defensively responsible approach, coupled with his typically relentless aggression, earned the 28-year-old three clinical victories against Carlos Castro, Mark Magsayo and Jessie Magdaleno.
Not only that, but Figueroa has had three fights to acclimatise to his new weight whereas Fulton, having had just one outing at 126lbs – against Castro – since his punishing defeat to Naoya Inoue in 2023, is yet to fully establish himself as a true featherweight contender.
The American’s last performance, too, did little to convince fans that his success at super bantamweight can be replicated, as while Figueroa dispatched Castro in the sixth round of their contest, Fulton laboured towards a far less inspiring split decision victory.
And so, while another fiercely contested spectacle is still firmly on the cards, a swing in recent form has now shifted the momentum in favour of Figueroa, with his revenge mission, perhaps even culminating in a late stoppage, promising to be a successful one.
