WBA statement on Brandon Figueroa failing to make weight and then dropping out of his title fight against Japan's Tomoki Kameda on Saturday: "The World Boxing Association regrets that the scheduled WBA Featherweight World Championship between Brandon Figueroa and Tomoki Kameda did not take place in Las Vegas. Mr. Figueroa did not make the 126-pound limit at the official weigh-in and, in accordance with WBA rules, lost his championship. We wish him a full recovery following his medical complications. Tomoki Kameda did everything asked of a professional. He trained for months and made weight. The WBA Championships Committee will meet on Monday, October 19th, and his situation will be its first priority, together with the rights of our rated contenders. The WBA is also working with the Nevada State Athletic Commission and other commissions to align weigh-in procedures, so that every boxer competes under clear and consistent rules."
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
OCT. 17, 2026: After weighing in yesterday-- and missing the featherweight limit-- Brandon Figueroa has suddenly "fallen ill" and has withdrawn from fighting Tomoki Kameda on today's PBC card in Las Vegas. Figuroa may have committed career suicide with this move. Before yesterday's weigh-in, he was the WBA featherweight champion, and had he defeated ex-bantamweight champ Kameda today, Figueroa would have been well-positioned for a career defining fight and payday vs. Kameda's countryman -- world super bantamweight champion Naoya "Monster" Inoue. Instead, Figueroa lost the WBA featherweight title on the scales yesterday and by pulling out of the fight today, he has branded himself to promoters and networks as an unreliable performer.
All of this is totally unfair to Kameda. The most logical move would be for the WBA to allow Kameda to fight Inoue for the vacant featherweight title.
Here is the PBC announcement: The previously scheduled Brandon Figueroa vs. Tomoki Kameda bout is now off after Figueroa fell ill overnight. The new co-feature will now see former super middleweight champion Armando Resendiz battling Australia's Koen Mazoudier. Preceding that matchup is undefeated Marco Romero dueling Uruguay's Matias Ferreira in an eight-round super middleweight clash, plus undefeated middleweights Jaime Osuna and Cristian Cangelosi will now meet in the eight-round opening bout."
OCT. 16, 2026: Brandon Figueroa has lost the WBA featherweight title on the scales. On Friday in Las Vegas, Figueroa weighed in at 126.8 pounds in advance of Saturday's scheduled fight against former bantamweight champion Tomoki Kameda of Japan. If Kameda wins, he will win the now-vacant title. If Figueroa wins or the fight is declared a draw, the title will remain vacant.
