Brandon Figueroa (27-2-1, 20 KOs) recently captured the WBA featherweight title with a knockout victory over Nick Ball last February in Liverpool, a result that gave him a belt at 126 and immediately put him in position for unification opportunities.
Of the options available to Espinoza, Figueroa, 29, may be the most attractive in terms of fan interest and style. WBC champion Bruce Carrington called out Espinoza in the media, but it’s unclear if that interest is serious or more about attaching his name to the fight.
Figueroa’s recent run has made this fight easier to sell without much effort. Against Ball he applied steady pressure and high punch output, carrying him round after round until the stoppage in the 12th. That kind of performance tends to travel with fans.
Espinoza vs. Figueroa will match two high-volume fighters who can throw more than 100 punches per round, giving the fight a built-in identity. The 6-foot-1 Espinoza hasn’t faced anyone who can maintain that level of pace for an entire fight, making it a different kind of test than the ones he’s passed thus far.
The undefeated Espinoza (28-0, 24 KOs) brings height, range and an uneasy rhythm that has unsettled opponents, while Figueroa relies on pressure and a steady work rate to wear fighters down over time. If Rafael can’t secure a shutout, he will likely have to deal with a pace and volume he hasn’t experienced in his career.
Rafael, 31, last fought in November, stopping Arnold Khegai in the 11th round after gradually wearing him down with pressure and precision, but that fight was contested at a pace that might not resemble what he would see against Figueroa.
