Stephen Fulton clearly outpoints Brandon Figueroa

The highly anticipated rematch between Stephen Fulton and Brandon Figueroa occurred at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with Fulton emerging victorious again. This time, Fulton claimed the WBC featherweight title via a unanimous decision, winning on scores of 116-112, 116-112, and 117-111. The victory marked Fulton's second division world championship, following his previous success at junior featherweight.

Fulton's strategy centred on using his movement and boxing skills to evade Figueroa's aggressive pressure. Figueroa, known for his relentless style, applied constant pressure throughout the fight but was unable to capitalize due to Fulton's effective counterpunching. Fulton utilized hard uppercuts and right-hand counters to keep Figueroa at bay, preventing him from finding a rhythm. Despite the crowd's discontent, which manifested in boos during and after the fight, Fulton's performance was marked by his ability to outmanoeuvre Figueroa.

The bout starkly contrasted their first encounter in 2021, which was a Fight of the Year contender. That fight saw both fighters engage in a high-paced, action-packed contest. In contrast, the rematch was marred by Figueroa's tactics, which often resulted in clinching and smothering his offence. Fulton capitalized on Figueroa's reduced punch output, particularly noting that Figueroa's move to 126 pounds seemed to affect his performance. Fulton's victory was significant, as it marked a rebound from his loss to Naoya Inoue in July 2023 and an uninspiring win over Carlos Castro in September.

Figueroa's pre-fight comments suggested he believed Fulton had lost his hunger for the sport, but Fulton's performance proved otherwise. Despite not pushing the action aggressively, Fulton remained focused on his strategy, using his jab and listening to his corner to secure the win. The victory sets up Fulton for his first title defence, with his future plans uncertain, but his status as a world-class boxer reaffirmed.