Turki Alalshikh wasted no time in attaching Brandon Figueroa to a bigger stage, publicly inviting the newly crowned WBA featherweight champion to defend his title on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez’s next fight on September 12.
The message came hours after Figueroa’s late twelfth round knockout of Nick Ball in Liverpool and was posted directly to Figueroa on X by Turki Alalshikh. It was framed as congratulations, but the subtext was clear. Figueroa’s willingness to travel and finish a fight late has already put him in line for Riyadh’s next marquee card.
An invitation that changes the next move
“A huge congratulations to Brandon Figueroa who showed his character by taking the risk and traveling to the champion’s backyard to capture the WBA featherweight championship with a stunning last round knockout,” Alalshikh wrote. “We want to see you defend your title for the first time on September 12 in Riyadh, when we stage Mexico vs. The World, with the return of Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in the main event.”
For Figueroa, the timing is hard to ignore. His strike from Ball turned a close fight into a definitive finish, and the invitation immediately elevated his next decision from a routine first defense into a choice about exposure and positioning. Appearing on a Riyadh card headlined by Saul Canelo Alvarez would put Figueroa in front of the sport’s widest audience, but it would also lock his next move into someone else’s calendar.
No opponent has been named, and Figueroa’s team has not publicly responded to the invitation. What is clear is that his title win did more than change hands. It changed how quickly he was drawn into the highest level of events.
For a fighter who has just proven he can turn a fight around rather than protect an edge, the next test may come in deciding how much control he is willing to relinquish so early in his reign.
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Last updated on 02/07/2026
