By Ian S Palmer
There’s an excellent WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator this Saturday, July 9th in San Antonio, Texas as former WBA and WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Brandon Figueroa of Weslaco, Texas moves up in weight and takes on Carlos Castro of Mexico. The 12-rounder can be seen live in America on Showtime while fans in Canada can catch it on TSN 5. Figueroa last fought in November when he lost a controversial majority decision to WBO Super Bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton. Castro last saw action in February when he dropped a 10-round split decision to former world champion Luis Nery for the vacant WBC Silver, and the WBO Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight Titles.
The 25-year-old Figueroa captured the vacant interim WBA World 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 also the WBA Champion when he stopped WBC beltholder Luis Nery in seven rounds in May, 2021. However, the geniuses who run the WBA then stripped him of their title for agreeing to fight WBO boss Fulton.
Figueroa climbs through the ropes with a fine record of 22-1-1 with 17 Kos and has boxed 135 rounds since turning pro in 2015. He stands 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 72.5-inch reach and possesses explosive fists with a current knockout ratio of 70.8 per cent. He’s also displayed a pretty solid chin up to now as well and has needed it in wins over the likes of Chacon, Parejo, Moises Flores, Oscar Escandon, Victor Proa and Fatiou Fassinou.
Brandon is the younger brother of fellow boxer Omar Figueroa and an excellent all-action fighter. He stepped up in class for the first time against 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 and Fulton and is taking on another class act this weekend in Castro. As an amateur, Figueroa lost to Shakur Stevenson and beat Chris Colbert.
The 28-year-old Castro fights out of Phoenix, Arizona and climbs through the ropes with a near-perfect record of 27-1 with 12 Kos. He’s boxed 156 rounds since making his pro debut in 2012 following a short amateur career. Castro has average punching power with a current knockout ratio of 42.9 per cent but three of his last four wins have come by stoppage.
Castro is 5-feet-7-inches tall with a 70-inch wingspan which means he’s giving up an inch in height to Figueroa as well as 2.5-inches in reach. Since turning pro Castro has captured the WBC USNBC, WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight Titles and won the vacant WBC Continental Americas Featherweight Crown with his 10th-round stoppage won over Oscar Escandon last August.
Castro’s biggest wins have been over Escandon, Cesar Juarez, Jesus Garcia, Mario Maldonado, Juan Palacios, Jorge Diaz, German Meraz and Genesis Servania. There’s no doubt that he possesses fine boxing skills and a solid chin and it should be tested on Saturday night by Figueroa.
Prediction…
This is a fine matchup between two boxers with different styles and every time Figueroa steps into the ring it has the potential to be a fight-of-the-year candidate. Figueroa simply throws punches in bunches and just keeps going until eventually wearing his opponent down or stopping him. However, he also takes a lot of shots in return due to his style but so far he’s displayed a rock-solid chin. Castro will need to match Figueroa punch for punch or throw even more to beat him since he doesn’t really possess the power to keep Figueroa at bay. Fulton got the decision against Figueroa in November but I think it was the wrong one. However, he did draw up a blueprint on how to beat him and Castro will need to follow it while trying to stay away from a slugfest. This should be an exciting fight from start to finish and it will be interesting to see how Figueroa fares in the 126 lb featherweight division. I’m going with Figueroa in this one.
