Figueroa elevated to WBC featherweight champion ahead of Fulton rematch

Rey Vargas, who still doesn’t have a fight booked after drawing with Nick Ball in March, is now “champion in recess”

One of boxing’s weirdest title reigns appears to be over, as the WBC’s featherweight rankings now list Rey Vargas as “champion in recess” and former interim titlist Brandon Figueroa as the true champion.

Vargas (36-1-1, 22 KO), a former super bantamweight champion, has fought just twice since edging out Mark Magsayo for the belt in 2022. Rather than immediately defend his title, he attempted to claim the vacant super featherweight belt while Figueroa (25-1-1, 19 KO) beat Magsayo for the interim belt, only to fall short against O’Shaquie Foster.

In a sane world, Figueroa would have welcomed him back to 126 in a title consolidation, but the WBC is not beholden to conventional wisdom or morality. Instead, they let Vargas fight Nick Ball to a draw in March, ordered the title consolidation, then just kinda let it die without comment. I actually sent the WBC an email in August inquiring about why he’s been allowed to go two years without a mandatory title defense and was told “Vargas` situation will be defined in the upcoming WBC convention.”

That’s in December, for the record.

I’m not going to be shedding any tears from Vargas, who in addition to neglecting his duties turned in one of the most cringeworthy championship performances in recent memory against Ball. I will instead savor the additional stakes for Figueroa’s upcoming rematch with Stephen Fulton. It was going to be a twelve-rounder regardless, but it feels more real this way.