If Naoya Inoue is coming to featherweight, Brandon Figueroa can capture his attention

Something clicked in Brandon Figueroa in Liverpool, England, when he stared down a champion in his home country, bit down on his mouthpiece and knocked down Nick Ball twice to become the WBA featherweight champion.

Figueroa, heading to his first 126lbs title defense Saturday night on DAZN from The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, now has so much more at stake as he meets former champion Tomoki Kameda in the co-main event to Sebastian Fundora’s latest WBC junior-middleweight title defense.

“If you saw me go up against all odds in Liverpool, you can imagine what I’m gonna do to defend my belt in Las Vegas,” Figueroa, 27-2-1 (20 KOs), said at a workout earlier this month in California. “I’m here to stay. I want to unify and fight the best. There’s no style like mine.”

The featherweight landscape and perhaps growing more dynamic by the say considering that while fellow champions Bruce “ShuShu” Carrington (WBC), Angelo Leo (IBF) and Rafael Espinoza (WBO) also reign, undisputed junior-featherweight champion Naoya Inoue of Japan is speaking of joining the division.

Fighting Kameda, 42-5 (23 KOs), after the challenger lost a majority decision to Leo in Japan last year gives Figueroa an immediate platform to make a strong case for four-division champion Inoue.

Premier Boxing Champions originally sought to lure Inoue to featherweight when it made the Figueroa-Stephen Fulton rematch in February 2025.

As Inoue has this week spoken of skipping fighting bantamweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in a super-fight next, the most attractive featherweight titlist becomes an ideal target.

Figueroa, a two-division champion training under Manny Robles, came to Liverpool with so much on the line. He lost two title fights to Fulton and was in a toss-up fight with former title challenger Joet Gonzalez last year.

“For the Ball fight, I was really motivated by the fact that he hadn’t fought anyone like me,” Figueroa said. “I showcased that in February. I already knew those fans were gonna be in for a surprise. I’m no pushover and I’m not someone that you’re gonna look good against. I’m gonna make it a tough fight and I’m gonna be in your face the whole night.”

The dramatic closing conjured up memories of when Robles guided heavyweight Andy Ruiz Jnr to a stunning TKO of then-champion in Joshua’s U.S. debut at Madison Square Garden.

“Manny just made sure I was being smart,” Figueroa said. “Previously, I was just going out there and showcasing my will. With Manny, he would tell me that he knows I have heart, but it’s time to use your intelligence. He always says that I can box. He made me believe in my boxing skills more. I’ve benefited a lot from him. We have great chemistry together and with his whole team. We’re a unit and we’re gonna keep showcasing that.

“Manny’s guidance, intelligence and experience has been vital to me. He’s an old-school coach and I just keep learning from him every day. He’s very strategic and he trains me accordingly. I’m just like a sponge learning anything I can from him.”

Kameda provides Figueroa a glimpse at the dedication and knowledge Inoue may bring.

“Kameda is a veteran fighter, and a gritty fighter,” Figueroa said. “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 Jnr did against me. He’ll be prepared 100%, but I have to go out there and do my job and defend my belt.”

Figueroa seeks more than a road-trip proving ground, and more than a title defense over a game veteran, however.

“Whoever is lined up for me, Manny and I will go to the drawing board and get ourselves ready,” Figueroa said. “I obviously want the best of the best.

“If I have the opportunity to fight everyone and unify, it would be an honor. I feel like I have the most experience out of all the champions, with Angelo Leo right under me. I think my resume and the fighters that I’ve fought speaks for itself.”