Brandon Figueroa's Stunning Victory Earns Him a Coveted Spot on a Mega-Event!
Following a truly career-reviving knockout victory over Nick Ball, Brandon Figueroa has been showered with well-deserved accolades. Among the most influential figures to extend their congratulations was the prominent boxing financier, Turki Alalshikh. But the praise didn't stop there; Alalshikh also extended a significant opportunity to the three-time major titlist Figueroa.
This generous offer came swiftly after Figueroa dramatically sent Ball to the canvas in the 12th round, securing the WBA 126lbs title. The impressive feat was accomplished on enemy territory, with Figueroa, hailing from Texas, triumphing at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England, the hometown of his opponent, Nick Ball.
Alalshikh took to social media to express his admiration, stating, "A huge congratulations to Brandon Figueroa for showing his character by taking the risk and traveling to the champion's backyard to capture the WBA featherweight championship with a great knockout in the final round." He then revealed the exciting prospect: "We want to see you defend your title for the first time on September 12 in Riyadh, when we stage Mexico vs. The World – featuring the return of Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in the main event."
This announcement comes as Mexican boxing icon Canelo Alvarez, with a formidable record of 63-3-2 (39 KOs), has already declared his intention to return to the ring in September. This will mark exactly one year since he relinquished his undisputed 168lbs championship to Terence “Bud” Crawford on September 13th last year in Las Vegas. The former four-division champion still has two more fights remaining on his lucrative contract with Riyadh Season.
But here's where it gets potentially fascinating for Figueroa: Accepting this invitation would mean his second consecutive fight outside the United States. The 27-year-old, a Mexican American from Weslaco, Texas, has surprisingly never fought abroad before this recent bout. In fact, he's spent a significant portion of his career in his home state of Texas, with most of his other fights taking place in Las Vegas and California. This move would mark a considerable expansion of his fighting horizons.
It's worth noting that Queensberry Promotions managed to secure the mandatory WBA featherweight title fight, which resulted in Ball, 23-1-1 (13 KOs), having his third home-game advantage in his last four outings. Unfortunately, this home-field edge couldn't extend his title reign, which began with his victory over Raymond Ford in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in June 2024.
Even without the dramatic knockout, Figueroa was on track for a significant upset victory on the road. He was leading on two of the judges' scorecards, 107-102 and 106-103, though one judge, Jean-Robert Laine, inexplicably had Figueroa trailing 107-102. Ultimately, this difference in scoring became irrelevant as Figueroa delivered a decisive knockout in the thrilling 12th round.
This victory marks Figueroa's third world title win across two different weight classes. He previously held the WBA 122lbs belt and the WBC 126lbs title. He has largely fought under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner, an organization that has recently forged a strong working relationship with Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season, including the upcoming Mario Barrios-Ryan Garcia pay-per-view event on February 21st in Las Vegas.
And this is the part most people miss: Figueroa has not yet publicly commented on Alalshikh’s offer, and it's unclear if he's even aware of it. His immediate focus, as he stated after the win, is to bring a major title fight back to his hometown. He hasn't fought in Texas since 2022, and specifically in his home region since 2019. "I want to bring a fight back to my hometown, give my fans back home a fight there," Figueroa told BoxNation. "They deserve it. It’s a small little town, I want to bring exciting fights there. After that, let’s unify."
He's certainly setting his sights high, as he aims to unify the featherweight division. The other current titleholders are Bruce Carrington (WBC), who recently secured his belt at an Alalshikh-funded event in New York City on January 31st; Angelo Leo (IBF); and the long-standing Rafael Espinoza (WBO). Figueroa enthusiastically declared, "I want all of them. Bruce Carrington, Espinoza … who’s the other one? Angelo Leo. All of them. Let’s get it."
What do you think? Should Brandon Figueroa accept the offer to fight on the 'Mexico vs. The World' card, or should he prioritize bringing a title fight back to his hometown as he desires? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
