By Jake Donovan

As if the present situation between Golden Boy Promotions, Al Haymon and the fighters shared between the two wasn’t complicated enough, Omar Figueroa throws another wrinkle into the mix.

The unbeaten lightweight titlist was on hand at ringside the most recent edition of Golden Boy Live, which took place Monday evening in Hidalgo, Texas. Figueroa - from Weslaco, Texas - is being actively pursued by free swinging super lightweight Fidel Maldonando Jr., who scored an 8th round stoppage of a determined Nelson Lara in the evening’s televised co-feature.

Maldonando Jr. called out Figueroa before the fight and again following the win. The move would make sense for the brawler from Albuquerque, New Mexico, as Figueroa announced following his 9th round knockout win over Daniel Estrada in August his intention to vacate his title at 135 lb. and campaign in the super lightweight division.

However, Maldonando Jr. might want to save his breath for the moment, as Figueroa attempts to sort out his own future. A number of factors will dictate when and where he next appears - namely a cut that hasn’t fully healed from a headbutt suffered in the Estrada fight, but also his present contract situation and the best next opportunity to present itself.

“We’re just trying to figure out mainly where my career is going,” Figueroa told Fox Sports 1’s Jessica Rosales during Monday’s broadcast. “I mentioned that I wanted to move up to 140, so that’s still up in the air.”

So, too, are the rights to promote his next fight. Figueroa is one of more than 100 fighters who currently fights under the Al Haymon advisory banner, however was also identified as a boxer under contract with Golden Boy Promotions, a status few of Haymon’s clients shared. Most are promotional free agents simply added to the cards of the promoter of the adviser’s choice as he sees fit.

It appears that Figueroa, for the moment, will join that list.

“My contract with Golden Boy ended on (September 24th), so no we’re looking into that,” revealed Figueroa, who joined Golden Boy three years ago. His signing with the company was largely motivated to secure his services as a notable opponent for then-undefeated rising prospect Michael Perez. Figueora had the last laugh, stopping the New Jersey-based Boricua in the 6th round of their Jan. ‘12 Showtime-televised crossroads bout.

Figueroa went on to win a lightweight belt under the Golden Boy banner,  a clause that often results in a contract being extended. It remains to be seen if he truly is a free agent or if Golden Boy has additional time due to any contractual loopholes.

Whatever the case, Figueroa can’t return to the ring anytime soon.

“I was told by one of the doctors at ringside that my cut (over the left eye) doesn’t look too good,” Figueroa confessed. “I’m going to have to… get it looked at again, see if I have to have it opened up again and (heal) right.”

The healing process should give Figueroa, Haymon and Golden Boy time to figure out if staying the course is the best move, or if he truly becomes a promotional free agent. The Texan puncher has been a mainstay on Showtime in recent years, beginning with a 12-round win over Japan’s Nihito Arawaka in a wild July ‘13 brawl that turned both fighters into instant cult favorites.

Figueroa dropped a bit in popularity following an unfavorable points win over Jerry Belmontes this past April. Redemption of sorts came with the thrilling knockout win over Estrada in August, though at the price of a forced time-out due to healing wounds and also unfinished business at the promotional negotiating table.

Whatever direction his career heads, a showdown so desired by Maldonando doesn’t seem like much of a reality, nor does it prompt Figueroa to stand up and take notice.

“(Maldonando Jr.) was supposed to get this guy out of there in a roiund or two, and it went to a decision (actually, midway through the 8th round),” Figueroa said, dismissing the knockout win he just witnessed. “He looks pretty beat up and he gets hit a lot. One of the best things I do is hit people.

“But if he wants to get in the ring with me, I’m all for it. Right now I’m still trying to figure out where my career is going, and how I’m going to handle it. You can say we have a lot of business stuff to handle.”

Should Figueroa opt to remain at lightweight as a titlist, his next order of business is a mandatory title defense versus Jorge Linares.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox