Brandon Figueroa demonstrated once more on Saturday that willpower can take you far forward.
Figueroa relentlessly attacked WBC 122-pound titleholder Luis Neri in a detailed, transactional struggle till a single was left for the exhausted champion’s ribs, ending the struggle within the sixth spherical, The winner obtained their first main title at Dignity Health Sports Park. Carson, California.
The win units up a title-integration efficiency with WBO beltholder Stephen Fulton in September.
“It sounds amazing,” mentioned Figueroa, who additionally holds a secondary title. “It’s a dream … when I was 7 years old and I’m living it now. I know everybody doubted me but I’m here with two belts. It’s all hard work and dedication.”
Neri (31–1, 24 KO) battled nicely for a lot of the struggle, jabbing, advancing a number of instances, and getting higher at brutal exchanges when he and Figueroa (22–0, 14 KO) had a – Standing with one another. . He did notably good bodywork.
Brandon Figueroa celebrates after stopping Luis Neary from successful the WBC 122-pound title on Saturday in Carson, California. Esther Lynn / Showtime
After six rounds, the judges nonetheless fought, 59–55 for Neri, 58–56 for Figueroa, and 57–57. Boxing outscored Dewanee Neri 58-56.
However, Figueiroa, recognized for his conditioning and punch output, started to weaken Neri within the fifth or sixth spherical. Figueroa had already mentioned that he was too large and powerful for Neri, who was preventing just for the second time as a 122-pounder. Maybe he’s proper.
Figueroa made a number of of his largest pictures within the first jiffy of the ultimate spherical earlier than becoming a member of the left aspect of the ribs, which put Neri on his fingers and knees following a delayed response.
The Mexican, in obvious ache, failed – or selected not – to beat the rely. When he later sat in his dressing room, he nonetheless stored his aspect.
The official time for stoppage was 2:18 of spherical 7.
“That was the plan, to break it,” Figueroa mentioned. “[Trainer] Joel Diaz asked me to put pressure on him, he was not going to last. … I knew he was getting tired. He was trying to box me. There was increasing pressure on him.
“I noticed him respiration closely. He was getting physique pictures. And my staff mentioned, “Let’s go get him.”
Figueroa will journey to Weslaco, Texas to get pleasure from his new place as world champion, however he’ll quickly return to the gymnasium to arrange for a good better struggle towards the unbeaten Fulton, who was within the struggle on Saturday.
The two have been on one another’s radar for a while. And now it’ll occur.
“Man, we’ve been waiting for this fight for some time,” Figueroa mentioned. “… I knew I had to get ahead of Neri and I did it. Everything in time. Now we’ll have a hell of a show in September.
“I imagined defeating Neri and imagining preventing Stephen Fulton. Let’s determine it out.”
It works for Fulton.
“It was one hell of a efficiency,” Fulton said of Figueroa. “I predicted it. Like I mentioned, Neri is a 118-pounder. He must be down there. It’s my time proper now. I used to be ready for the second.”
