Mexican Independence Day weekend may not feature Canelo Alvarez this year but it will host a significant world title unification when WBO 122lbs champion Stephen Fulton meets WBC belt holder and fellow unbeaten Brandon Figueroa at the Park Theater in the Park MGM in Las Vegas on September 18.
Both men are coming off career-best wins with Texan Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) halting Mexican puncher Luis Nery in seven to earn the WBC crown in May and slick Philadelphian Fulton (19-0, 8 KOs) handily outboxing Angelo Leo to claim the WBO belt on the cards in January.
In his last 13 fights, Fulton has bested eight unbeaten fighters and he believes Figueroa will be number nine later this month.
“We will have a new king of the division on a historic day,” said WBO boss Fulton. “Training camp has been great, rough and dirty. I know where I need to be for this fight and I’m right there not running away from it. History will be made September 18 on Mexican Independence Day weekend in Las Vegas. Let’s celebrate with a bang!”
The WBC champion is equally confident he will prevail in this high stakes affair.
“We train hard for every fight and make sure we go 110% come fight night,” said Figueroa. “I expect Fulton to be flashy and slick with his movements, and perhaps he’ll want to mix it up a little as well, so we’re ready for anything. People know I always come to fight and with this being my second back-to-back fight against another undefeated world champion it makes this an exciting fight on paper and it should be even more exciting to see it live on September 18.”
Also on the Showtime broadcast, leading 122-pounder Ra’eese Aleem (18-0, 12 KOs) will face Mexican Eduardo Baez (19-1-2, 6 KOs) and bantamweight contender Gary Antonio Russell (18-0, 12 KOs & 1 NC) will meet another Mexican Alejandro Barrios (24-2-5, 13 KOs), both in 10-round attractions.