One of many prime fights of 2021 noticed Stephen Fulton out-brawl Brandon Figueroa to unified the WBC and WBO junior featherweight titles. Now, simply over a 12 months later, they look like able to battle once more.
Our insider Dan Rafael had extra late Tuesday on his Combat Freaks Unite substack,
“After Stephen Fulton edged Brandon Figueroa through majority choice to unify the WBO and WBC junior featherweight titles in an action-packed 2021 battle of the 12 months candidate, they argued with one another and regarded like they had been on the verge or throwing extra punches in the course of the post-fight interview on Showtime. However they professed curiosity in a rematch.
Now it’s going to occur.
They are going to meet once more on Feb. 25 in the principle occasion of a Showtime-televised tripleheader at The Armory in Minneapolis, a supply with direct information of the cardboard advised Combat Freaks Unite.
Fulton-Figueroa II Will Be Up In Weight
The rematch comes as no shock because the WBC authorised the bout for the vacant interim featherweight title at its annual conference in November.
The interim title at 126 kilos was made obtainable as a result of titlist Rey Vargas is transferring up in weight for his subsequent battle, which will likely be in opposition to O’Shaquie Foster for the vacant WBC junior light-weight belt on Feb. 11 on the Alamodome in San Antonio in a Showtime battle that has already been introduced.
Vargas should determine quickly after the bout whether or not he’ll stay at junior light-weight or return to featherweight to defend his title. If he opts to remain at 130 kilos, the Fulton-Figueroa II winner can be elevated to full titleholder.
Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs), 28, of Philadelphia, has fought as soon as since defeating Figueroa, a unanimous choice to retain the belts in opposition to former unified titlist Daniel Roman in June 2022, and now will transfer up in weight.
Figueroa (23-1-1, 18 KOs), 26, of Weslaco, Texas, has additionally solely fought as soon as because the first Fulton battle. He moved as much as featherweight and knocked out Carlos Castro within the sixth spherical of a WBC title eliminator in July.
Fulton and Figueroa first met on Nov. 27, 2021. Fulton received 116-112 on two scorecards and it was 114-114 on the third card.
Ponce-Matias Will Be Co-Characteristic
The Feb. 25 card will even embody Jeremias Ponce in opposition to Subriel Matias for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title, the supply mentioned. The third bout on the telecast has not been set, in response to the supply.
Ponce-Matias was additionally anticipated to be one of many numerous bouts Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions would placed on in early 2023. In November, TGB Promotions was the one bidder when it received a handbag bid for the bout for $510,000. Every boxer entitled to 50 %.
The title grew to become vacant in August when Josh Taylor relinquished it to be able to pursue a rematch with Jack Catterall slightly than face obligatory challenger Ponce.
Ponce (30-0, 20 KOs), 26, of Argentina, will likely be combating within the Untied States for the primary time, though he has boxed in a number of nations. He scored his largest win when he knocked out Lewis Ritson in his hometown of Newcastle, England in June 2021.
Matias (18-1, 18 KOs), 30, of Puerto Rico, has received 4 fights in a row since an upset 10-round choice loss to Petros Ananyan in February 2020. Matias stopped Ananyan within the ninth spherical of a rematch in his final battle final January. ”
A Showtime announcement of the Minneapolis card may come as early as Wednesday.
