Stephen Fulton and Brandon Figueroa will meet up in a rematch on the Benavidez-Morrell undercard, this time for the WBC featherweight title. Back in 2021 they clashed for a pair of 122-pound belts with Fulton winning a majority decision.
They debated the result in the ring immediately after the scores were read and both talked about a rematch. Tonight, it finally happens.
Here’s a look at the two fighters going into tonight’s fight and a look back at their first encounter.
Stephen Fulton – 22-1, 8 KOs
Brandon Figueroa – 25-1-1, 19 KOs
STEPHEN FULTON
• Won WBO 122-lb title from Angelo Leo with UD12 on 1/21/21
• Won WBC 122-lb title from Figueroa with MD on 11/27/21
• Lost titles to Naoya Inoue by TKO8 on 7/25/23.
• One win since lost to Inoue, SD10 over Carlos Castro at 125 on 9/14/24
BRANDON FIGUEROA
• Won WBC interim 126-lb title from Mark Magsayo with UD12 on 3/4/23
• Won WBC 122-lb title from Luis Nery with KO7 on 5/15/21
• Lost first defense against Fulton on 11/27/21, MD for WBC and WBO.
• Has won three fights since loss to Fulton
1) TKO6 over Carlos Castro 7/9/22
2) UD12 over Mark Magsayo 3/4/23
3) KO9 over Jessie Magdaleno 5/4/24
First Fight:
YOUTUBE FULTON-FIGUEROA 1
RD1 – Fulton gets some clean shots in, Figueroa mauls him a lot, a lot of clinches.
RD2 – Fulton using the straight right against the southphaw. Both guys rocked.
RD3 – Fulton countering really well on the inside. Constant pressure from Figueroa.
RD4 – Fulton using movement to start. Landing solid shots on Figueroa. Clear shift toward Fulton. Using his skills to stay out of the clinches and get off power shots.
RD5 – Fulton banged on the inside this round and it was close. Even though he did well, that’s Figueroa’s fight.
RD6 – Fighueroa with the volume, Fulton with cleaner shots. Seems Fulton has far superior skills but is letting Figueroa maul him and grind it out.
RD7 – Same pattern. Optics look better for Figueroa, even though Fulton is doing well on the inside. Wondering how it plays out from here on. Surprised at this point that Fulton got the decision.
RD8 – From distance Fulton is so precise. The second clear round for Fulton, but Figueroa doesn’t stop, closes strong. Could very well have stolen it but Fulton really out fought him for almost the whole round. Accidental headbutt.
RD9 – Brutal inside battle. Both guys ripping power shots to head and body.
RD10 – Great first two minutes for Fulton but then he gets wobbled. Another tough one to score. Bigger moments for Figueroa at the end.
RD11 – Clear Fulton round as he moved and kept the fight at a distance.
RD12 – Masterful round for Fulton. These last two rounds are what Fulton should have done the whole fight. Really outclassed him at distance. He didn’t have to brawl on the inside.
I feel like Figueroa won fairly comfortably. Fulton had the clear edge in skills and negated the pressure of Figueroa for stretches of the fight, but he fell into the trap of brawling, which is Figueroa’s strength. Fulton did well on the inside but it looks like Figueroa is dictating the action, which is true. Judges often lose track of the blow-by-blow and go with the optics.
Fulton may have gotten the benefit of being the PBC fighter. MD12, 116-112, 116-112, 114-114. Hard for me to see Fulton winning eight rounds.
