Brandon Figueroa vs Stephen Fulton Jr. Preview Feb. 1st, 2025
Former WBA and WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Brandon Figueroa of Weslaco, Texas puts his WBC Featherweight Title on the line this Saturday, Feb. 1st when he takes on former former WBA and WBO Bantamweight boss Stephen Fulton of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 12-round rematch from Las Vegas, Nevada can be seen live on pay-per-view in most nations on the undercard of the David Benavidez vs David Morrell tilt. Figueroa last fought in May when he stopped former WBO Super Bantamweight Champion Jessie Magdaleno in the ninth round. Figueroa beat Mark Magsayo via a wide unanimous decision to win the interim belt a year earlier. Fulton last saw action in September when he beat Carlos Castro via a 10-round split decision after being dropped in the fifth round. Figueroa and Fulton first met in November, 2021 with Fulton winning a highly-controversial majority decision to hand Figueroa his lone defeat. Fulton was the WBO Super Bantamweight Champion at the time while Figueroa was the WBC holder. Fulton then lost both titles to Naoya Inoue via an eighth-round stoppage in July, 2023 for his only pro loss.
Figueroa vs Fulton Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Stephen Fulton +165
- Brandon Figueroa -205
My Pick
The 28-year-old Figueroa captured the vacant interim WBA Super Bantamweight Title when he stopped Yonfrez Parejo after eight rounds in April, 2019 before stopping Javier Chacon in four rounds in August and then drawing with an overweight Julio Ceja in a slugfest three months later. He was the WBA Champion when he stopped WBC beltholder Luis Nery in seven rounds in May, 2021 to win that title. However, the geniuses who run the WBA stripped him of their belt for agreeing to fight WBO boss Fulton in November, 2021 and he lost a controversial majority decision in that bout as well as his title.
Since losing to Fulton, he has stopped Carlos Castro in the sixth round in 2022, beat Mark Magsayo by unanimous decision a year later and stopped Jessie Magdaleno in his last contest. Figueroa climbs through the ropes with a mark of 25-1-1 with 19 Ko’s and has boxed 162 rounds since turning pro in 2015. He stands 5-feet-9-inches tall with a 72.5-inch reach and possesses explosive fists as 76 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage, but has gone the distance in two of his last four fights and in three of his past seven. Figueroa’s displayed a rock solid chin up to now and has needed it in wins over the likes of Fulton, Chacon, Parejo, Nery, Moises Flores, Oscar Escandon, Victor Proa and Fatiou Fassinou. As an amateur, Figueroa lost to Shakur Stevenson and beat Chris Colbert.
Brandon is the younger brother of former world champion Omar Figueroa and is an excellent all-action fighter. He stepped up in class for the first time against Oscar Escandon in 2018 and passed the test with flying colours when he stopped him in the 10th round and followed up by stopping Moises Flores in the third round. However, it could be argued that he didn’t take a step forward after that with bouts against the limited Chacon and Ceja but he stepped things up again by meeting Nery, Fulton, Castro and Magdaleno.
The 30-year-old Fulton has fought 161 rounds since making his pro debut in 2014 and enters the bout with a record of 22-1 with 8 Ko’s. He’s not known as a power puncher or heavy hitter by any means as just 36.4 per cent of his wins have been by stoppage and he’s halted just three of his past 11 opponents. As for his chin, he was stopped by Inoue and dropped by Castro. Fulton measures just over 5-feet-6-inches tall with a 70.5-inch reach so gives up 2.5-inches in height and two inches in reach to Figueroa. He’s regarded as a highly-skilled boxer with speed and excellent footwork.
Just one of his first seven opponents had a winning record but since then he’s managed to defeat Figueroa as well as Castro, Danny Roman, Angelo Leo, Joshua Greer Jr, Luis Rosario. Adam Lopez, Jesus Ahumada and German Meraz. Fulton’s amateur record was a reported 75-15 and he also participated in the World Series of Boxing. His first world title triumph came in May, 2019 when he won the IBO World Super Bantamweight Title via a wide 12-round unanimous decision over Paulus Ambunda.
Fulton then captured the WBO Inter-Continental Belt by 12-round unanimous decision over Arnold Khegai in January, 2020. A year later he added the WBO World Title with another unanimous decision, this time over Angelo Leo. Next up, in November, 2021, Fulton added the WBC Belt to his collection when he edged Figueroa by a highly controversial majority decision after being outlanded 314 to 269 and being outpunched 1,060 to 726. In addition, Fulton outlanded Figueroa in just two of the 12 rounds. Of course, those belts were then lost to Inoue in Tokyo.
Prediction…
There are several excellent volume-punching boxers out there but Figueroa is arguably the best of the bunch when it comes to letting his hands go. It’s usually non-stop punching to the head and body with this guy and that’s why he’s lost just once and it was a highly-controversial decision to Fulton in a fight I believe he won. In fact, every time Figueroa steps into the ring it has the potential to be a fight-of-the-year candidate as he simply lets his hands fly and just keeps throwing leather until eventually wearing his opponent down or stopping him. On the flip side, he also takes a lot of shots in return due to this style but so far he’s displayed a solid chin. The smaller Fulton will need to match Figueroa’s output to beat him and he won’t really have to worry about working his way inside as Figueroa’s size advantage is rarely put to use. This should be another close, exciting fight with sustained action for as long as it lasts and as usual I’m going with Figueroa’s non-stop style.
Figueroa’s aggression and chin should be the difference.
Play: Figueroa -205 @ BetOnline.ag
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Brandon Figueroa betting • Stephen Fulton betting