Far too often in boxing, fights come and go without the fighters knowing what lies ahead for them. Bouts are made without much notice, which ends up hurting the promotion of a fight in trying to get it as big as possible.
That is not the case heading into Saturday's WBC super bantamweight title fight between champion Luis Nery and Brandon Figueroa from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. When this weekend's fight got formally announced, it was revealed that the winner will take on WBO titlist Stephen Fulton in a title unification bout on Sept. 11.
Heading into the biggest contest of his young career, Figueroa (21-0-1, 16 KOs) believes boxing needs to follow this particular path going forward for the better of the sport.
"I feel like that's what boxing needs," Figueroa admits to DAZN News. "Fights like that to pump up the fans, and even for the boxers because I feel like a lot of times, boxers don't even know where or who they're going fight until like, a month, two months out. I feel like Showtime is going back to the old ways where the fights are already pre-announced, so the fans already know what to expect, and the fights get hyped. Not only that, but the boxers prepare themselves, they prepare for each other, and I feel like that's what will make boxing even greater is knowing that these two guys are going to fight in September and people are getting pumped up, even the boxers are getting pumped. You just train hard and wait for that fight date to come around."
Figueroa expects Fulton to be in attendance for Saturday's fight and get into the ring to confront the winner. For some, it's hard to stay focused on the task at hand and not look ahead because of the high-stakes nature of the fight. Not for the 24-year-old.
"You got to be focused at the task at hand," Figueroa said. "I want that WBC belt so bad. I feel like once I get it, the next step is to prepare myself mentally and physically for Stephen Fulton. As of right now, we don't overlook any opponent. I do get glimpses of the future, but as of right now, we're focused 110 percent. I got to take care of business, and as soon as business is taken care of, then we'll start focusing on Stephen Fulton."
Typically, a lot of support isn't given to the lower-weight classes, and the higher divisions are given more attention. With Nery-Figueroa and the co-feature of former 122-pound champion Danny Roman vs. Ricardo Espinoza and the winner of the main event taking on Fulton, the lighter weight class is receiving some deserved shine.
"It's great because there's a lot of talent on 122-pound division," Figueroa said. "Not only that, but we bring fireworks. We bring these great fights. I feel like there's a lot of great fighters in the division that make great fights, and a lot of people want to see the fight, like a lot of up-and-coming prospects. I feel like all these lower-weight classes, they bring these more exciting fights that fans want to see. I feel like in the higher-weight class, there's not really a lot of big names there that make interesting fights. I feel like a lot of talent is in the 122-pound division that a lot of people want to see who is the best. I'm with it. I'm with everything. I'm with showing out and coming out and proving to be the best 122-pound fighter because we're all about it. We're all about that action. I feel like it's great for boxing."