Brandon Figueroa vs Julio Ceja Preview Nov. 23rd
Undefeated WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Brandon Figueroa of Weslaco, Texas is scheduled to take on Julio Ceja of Mexico at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada this Saturday, November 23rd. Figueroa defended the interim title in August when he stopped Javier Nicholas Chacon in the fourth round. Ceja last saw action in June when he was stopped in the eighth round by Guillermo Rigondeaux for his second straight defeat. The 12-round bout can be seen live on Fox pay-per-view in America while fans in the UK can catch it on Sky Sports Action.
Fugueroa vs Ceja Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Julio Ceja +300
- Brandon Figueroa -370
My Pick
The 22-year-old Figueroa captured the vacant interim WBA World Super Bantamweight Title when he stopped Yonfrez Parejo after eight rounds in April. He climbs through the ropes with a perfect record of 20-0 with 15 Kos. Figueroa has boxed 94 rounds since turning pro in 2015 and is 5-feet-9-inches tall with a 72-inch reach. He has good power in his fists with a current knockout ratio of 75 per cent and has also displayed a pretty solid chin up to now as well. The biggest wins in his career have been against Chacon, Parejo, Moises Flores, Oscar Escandon, Victor Proa and Fatiou Fassinou.
Brandon is the younger brother of boxer Omar Figueroa and an excellent young prospect. He stepped up in class for the first time against Flores and passed the test with flying colours. However, it could be argued that he hasn’t taken a step forward since with bouts against the limited Chacon and now Ceja. Figueroa has the potential to be an exciting world champion but needs to face stiffer tests in the near future to prove he’s a legitimate champion.
Ceja is a slugger who just turned 27 years old an carries around a record of 32-4 with 28 Kos. He’s obviously got some power in his fists with a current knockout ratio of 77.8 per cent but he’s also been stopped in three of his four losses, which makes him quite exciting to watch as he lives and dies by the sword. Before being halted by Rigondeaux he was stopped after four rounds by Franklin Manzanilla in May, 2018 as he lost his WBC Silver Super Bantamweight Title. In addition, Hugo Ruiz stopped him in the first round in February, 2016.
The loss to Ruiz was a rematch as Ceja stopped him in the fifth round sixth months earlier for the interim WBC Super Bantamweight Title. Ceja stands 5-feet-6-inches tall with a reach of 63.5 inches which means he’s three inches shorter than Figueroa and gives up a whole 8.5-inches in reach. He turned pro back in 2009 and has 162 rounds under his belt. Ceja has also won several minor titles along the way such as the WBC Fecarbox Super Flyweight and Bantamweight Crowns as well as the IBF Latino Bantamweight and WBC Silver Bantamweight and Super Bantamweight Belts.
He also took on Jamie McDonnell for the vacant IBF World Bantamweight title in 2013 and dropped a majority decision for his other career loss. Ceja’s best wins have been over Ruiz, Ronald Barrera, Cruz Carbajal, Genaro Garcia, Henry Maldonado, Jesus Acosta and Anselmo Moreno. Ceja’s power has served him well so far but he’s suddenly struggled with the power of his opponents. He’s also got decent skills but his chin has let him down when stepping up in class.
Prediction…
Figueroa is five years younger than Ceja and has a big height and reach advantage. However, he may need to prove he owns a solid chin on Saturday night as the challenger can definitely bang. However, as long as Figueroa uses his size advantage he should be able to hold onto his title.
Figueroa’s speed and activity should overcome Ceja’s power.
Play: Figueroa -370 @ BetOnline.ag
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Brandon Figueroa betting • Julio Ceja betting