Saturday’s clash between Luis Nery and Brandon Figueroa is not only a world unification title fight, but also a crossroads bout. The winner could be on the path towards becoming the top fighter at 122 pounds.
Nery and Figueroa will square off at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The 12-round bout will headline a three-bout Showtime telecast (10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT).
The two power-punching junior featherweights have unblemished records, but have dealt with issues outside the ring or have underachieved in recent fights.
Nery (31-0, 24 knockouts), who resides in Tijuana, Mexico, won the vacant WBC title in his last bout on September 26, defeating countryman Aaron Alameda by unanimous decision. The fight came 14 months after the southpaw Nery knocked out former world bantamweight titleholder Juan Carlos Payano in round 9.
The 26-year-old also won a world title bout at 118 pounds, albeit controversially. Nery won the WBC title in August 2017, stopping Shinsuke Yamanaka in round 4. It was announced after the fight Nery failed a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA)-administered drug test, but the WBC did not strip him of the title as they ruled the positive finding was because of food contamination.
Nery tested positive for zilpaterol, which is similar to the banned substance clenbuterol.
The WBC ordered Nery to defend the title against Yamanaka in a rematch that took place in March 2018. Nery failed to make weight the day before the fight, weighing three pounds about the bantamweight limit. Yamanaka signed off on the fight, but was stopped by Nery in round 2.
“My mentality is simple: It’s either me or him,” said Nery after a recent training session. “I don’t get in the ring thinking of getting to the final bell and potentially losing because of the judges. I am not leaving anything in the hands of the judges. I am going to be aggressive and I will be myself. I plan to win fighting in my style.”
Nery even had famed trainer Eddy Reynoso in his corner in 2019, but the two amicably split.
Nery is an explosive puncher, but it will be an intriguing match-up when he squares off against Figueroa, who has also strolled in recent fights.
Figueroa (21-0-1, 16 KOs), who resides in Weslaco, Texas, also fought on the same September 26 card Nery fought on, stopping Damien Vazquez in round 10. The fight came about 10 months after Figueroa fought to a split-decision draw against Mexico’s Julio Ceja.
The 24-year-old held the WBA interim title, but was elevated to regular titleholder after Murodjon Akhmadaliev won the WBA and IBF world titles after defeating Danny Roman on January 30 of last year.
Figueroa’s last eight victories have come by knockout. He is the younger brother of former WBC lightweight titleholder Omar Figueroa, Jr.
Also in action:
– In the co-feature, Danny Roman of Los Angeles will face hard-hitting Ricardo Espinoza (25-3, 21 KOs) in a 12-round junior featherweight bout. Roman (28-3-1, 10 KOs) is hoping to face Akhmadaliev in a rematch later this year, the winner of the Nery-Figueroa fight or WBO titleholder Stephen Fulton.
– Opening the Showtime telecast will be a 10-round junior lightweight bout between Sacramento’s Xavier Martinez (16-0, 11 KOs) and Juan Carlos Burgos (34-4-2, 21 KOs) of Tijuana.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene since September 2012 and The Ring since October of 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing
