Brandon "The Heartbreaker" Figueroa suffered just that – heartbreak – when facing Stephen Fulton in a junior featherweight title unification fight in November 2021.
Figueroa dropped a majority decision defeat to the hands of “Cool Boy Steph” that night in a memorable firefight, and three years later, they'll run it back as the co-main event to the light-heavyweight clash between David Benavidez and David Morrell at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena on Prime Video pay-per-view next month.
“I want to fight the best, so shout out to Fulton for stepping up to the plate,” said Figueroa. “I’m here to fight the best and I’m not overlooking anyone. This is the fight I’ve been waiting for the last three years and don’t plan to leave it to the judges this time.
“I learned a lot from the loss. It lit a fire in me that hasn’t been unlit. We both come to fight and I’m excited that the rematch is even bigger and better now on one of the best cards of the year.”
Figueroa (25-1-1, 19 KOs), now the WBC featherweight champion and ranked No. 6 by The Ring, will be coming into the contest hot, having beaten Carlos Castro, Mark Magsayo for the title he now owns, and most recently stopping Jessie Magdaleno since suffering the lone defeat of his nine-year professional career.
Fulton (22-1, 8 KOs) meanwhile, has faded since, getting knocked out by Naoya Inoue in July 2023 and returning this past September to look like a shell of himself against Castro, who Figueroa stopped inside six rounds. Fulton got dropped against Castro but was fortunate to sneak by with a 10-round split decision win.
“This means everything,” said Figueroa. “I get to get my lick back and give fans another exciting show. It was fun the first time with a controversial decision, but I don’t plan to leave it to the judges. He had trouble with Carlos Castro and I got him out of there in six rounds.
“I’m growing and evolving as a fighter. My fire is burning bigger and bigger. I just want to prove that I’m the best 126-pounder and one of the best fighters in the world period.”
Figueroa, a 28-year-old from Weslaco, Texas who also has a knockout win against two-division champion Luis Nery, wants to defend his title against Fulton so he can welcome Inoue to the 126-pound weight class once the Japanese star decides to jump up to attempt winning a title in a fifth weight class.
“I’m gonna fight my fight. I come forward and I’m aggressive. I have a unique style. This time around I’m just hungry to make a statement. I want to challenge Naoya Inoue, that’s the goal,” said Figueroa.
“On February 1 [Fulton is] gonna see that I hurt him at 122 pounds and at 126 pounds I’m gonna put him away. I’m making a statement and it won’t go 12 rounds.”
Manouk Akopyan is a lead writer for The Ring. Follow him on X and Instagram.