Brandon Figueroa’s dramatic knockout of Nick Ball has already opened the door to his next major opportunity. Fresh off a stunning 12th-round stoppage in Liverpool to claim the WBA featherweight title, Figueroa has been offered a spot on the high-profile “Mexico vs. the World” card scheduled for September 12 in Riyadh.
The invitation came directly from Turki Alalshikh, who praised Figueroa for traveling into the champion’s backyard and finishing the job in emphatic fashion. “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,” Alalshikh wrote, adding that he wants to see Figueroa defend the belt on the Riyadh card, which will be headlined by the return of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
Figueroa’s win over Ball was shaping up as an upset even before the stoppage. He led on two scorecards entering the final round and erased any doubt by flooring Ball and forcing the late finish. The victory made Figueroa a three-time titlist across two weight divisions and marked just his second fight outside the United States, following a career spent largely in Texas, California and Las Vegas.
While the Riyadh offer represents a massive stage, Figueroa has made it clear that his immediate desire is to bring a title fight back home. “I want to bring a fight back to my hometown, give my fans back home a fight there,” he said after the win. “They deserve it… After that, let’s unify.” He has not boxed in Texas since 2022, nor in his home region since 2019.
Unification is firmly on Figueroa’s mind. He has openly named the rest of the division’s champions, saying, “I want all of them. Bruce Carrington, Espinoza… Angelo Leo. All of them. Let’s get it.” Whether that path begins in Weslaco, Texas, or under the bright lights of Riyadh, Figueroa’s career revival has clearly placed him back at the center of the featherweight picture.
Image Credit: BBC