Unbeaten super bantamweight champions Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton Jr. will unify their titles in September.
The two are set for September 18 liv eon Showtime from the Park MGM in Las Vegas.
Along with that fight, Ra’eese Aleem takes on Eduardo Baez in the co-main event.
“This night of high-stakes action is headlined by two undefeated young stars in one of the most anticipated fights of the year.” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “The winner of this fight will not only hold the mantle as the division’s best but will have a case as one of the top pound-for-pound rising stars in the sport. With Ra’eese Aleem and Gary Antonio Russell also on the card, the future of the sport takes centerstage on September 18.”
The three-fight boxing event will open Showtime’s combat sports doubleheader on September 18. Immediately following the main event from Las Vegas, Bellator MMA will air live from San Jose, Calif., with a three-fight event headlined by light heavyweight contenders Phil Davis and Yoel Romero.
The 24-year-old Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) used his youth and relentless pressure to become the first person to defeat Nery in their championship clash on Showtime. Figueroa’s body attack was the difference, as he was able to stand up against Nery’s offense and eventually overwhelm him to earn the knockout. A native of Weslaco, Texas, Figueroa added to his family’s legacy in capturing the world title, joining his brother Omar Figueroa who previously held the lightweight world championship. Figueroa took down a slew of veteran contenders on his way to championship status, knocking out Moises Flores, Oscar Escandon and Damien Vazquez on his ascent.
Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Pa., Fulton (19-0, 8 KOs) faced impressive competition while rising up the 122-pound rankings to earn the opportunity that eventually saw him become world champion on Showtime by besting Leo. In his last 13 professional fights, the 27-year-old has beaten eight previously undefeated fighters, including Leo, Josh Greer, Arnold Khegai, Adam Lopez and Luis Saul Rosario. Trained in his hometown by coach Wahid Rahim, Fulton has displayed sublime boxing skills that have allowed him to dominate opponents of varying styles and control fights from start to finish.