Fresh off of becoming a 126-pound champion for the second time, WBA featherweight champion Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa (pictured) will defend his belt for the first time against Japan’s Tomoki Kameda in the twelve-round co-feature on October 17th. (The main event features Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora defending his 154-pound championship against unbeaten mandatory challenger Ermal Hadribeaj). Figueroa and Kameda hold a piece of shared history, as Kameda, a former bantamweight champion, engaged in the first of two memorable battles against Jamie McDonnell on May 9, 2015 in Texas on the same card that featured Figueroa winning in his pro debut.
A two-division champion, Figueroa (27-2-1, 20 KOs) returns to the ring off one of the best performances of his career that saw him travel to the U.K. to stop hometown hero Nick Ball in dramatic fashion in the twelfth-round in February. The 29-year old had previously defeated Joet Gonzalez last July to bounce back after losing his 126-pound title by decision in his February rematch against Stephen Fulton Jr. The Weslaco, Texas-native won the interim WBC featherweight title in a 2023 Fight of the Year contender that saw him score a unanimous decision over former champion Mark Magsayo. Figueroa’s relentless pressure and youthful enthusiasm helped him become the first person to defeat former two-division champion Luis Nery in their May 2021 championship clash, as he stopped Nery with a body shot in round seven. Figueroa, now trained by the renowned Manny Robles, added to his family’s legacy by capturing the WBC 122-pound world title against Nery, joining his brother Omar Figueroa Jr., who previously held the WBC lightweight title.
“I’m feeling strong, sharp and ready to defend my title,” said Figueroa. “We’ve been pushing hard this camp and making sure I’m prepared for anything. Fans know I always come to fight, so expect a show October 17th in Las Vegas.”
A native of Osaka, Japan, Kameda (42-5, 23 KOs) earned the ring moniker “El Mexicanito” when he moved to the North American country as an amateur to hone his skills. After turning pro, Kameda began ascending up the 118-pound rankings, eventually claiming WBO bantamweight honors by unanimous decision in August 2013 over Paulus Ambunda. He’d go on to successfully defend the title three times, turning away the previously unbeaten Immanuel Naidjala, plus Alejandro Hernandez and Panya Uthok. The 35-year-old made his biggest splash stateside in 2015, going toe-to-toe with champion Jamie McDonnell in a pair of widely-seen action bouts that were each edged by McDonnell. Kameda would later challenge for two more world titles, putting together a five-fight winning streak that led to a decision loss against then super bantamweight world champion Rey Vargas. Most recently, he dropped a close decision to featherweight world champion Angelo Leo in May 2025, which followed six wins in seven contests.
“I’m coming to take advantage of this opportunity on October 17th and leave Las Vegas world champion once again,” said Kameda. “Brandon Figueroa is a great champion and I know that when the bell rings, we’re going to give the fans a fight they’ll remember."
