Brandon Figueroa expects Tomoki Kameda to borrow Stephen Fulton Jr.’s approach when they meet on October 17 in Las Vegas. That makes the WBA featherweight champion’s first defense a test of whether his work with trainer Manny Robles has improved his ability to handle an opponent who wants to box rather than trade.
Figueroa’s pressure gives opponents little room to rest, but pursuing a moving target requires more than stamina and a willingness to absorb punches. If Kameda can make him follow without cutting off escape routes, the champion could spend too much time chasing and too little time landing.
“Kameda is a veteran fighter, and a gritty fighter,” Figueroa said in a Premier Boxing Champions training camp release. “He’s got a lot of fights under his belt. He’s got years of experience over me, so we don’t take anything away from him. We’ve been watching his fights and breaking down what he does. I feel like they’re gonna try to box me and emulate what Stephen Fulton Jr. did against me. He’ll be prepared 100%, but I have to go out there and do my job and defend my belt.”
Robles’ influence is relevant here. Figueroa credits him with encouraging greater confidence in his boxing skills instead of relying so heavily on heart and physical effort. His final-round stoppage of Nick Ball in Liverpool brought him the title, but Kameda could demand a different kind of patience.
The challenge is to apply pressure without rushing his work. Figueroa needs to get close enough to sustain attacks while denying Kameda easy exits. Recognizing the likely strategy beforehand helps, although executing against it is the real test.
Figueroa wants unification fights, but an effective defense would provide better evidence of his progress than another promise to overwhelm an opponent.
Figueroa–Kameda serves as the co-main event beneath Sebastian Fundora against Ermal Hadribeaj at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan. TNT and DAZN coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET.