Brandon Figueroa Loses WBA Featherweight Title on Scale After Missing Weight

Brandon Figueroa’s WBA featherweight title reign ended before he could make his first defense. Figueroa weighed 127.4 pounds Friday in Las Vegas, 1.4 pounds above the 126-pound championship limit for Saturday’s fight against Tomoki Kameda. He did not complete an official second weigh-in within the permitted one-hour window, meaning the belt is now vacant. Kameda made weight at 125.8 pounds and will be the only fighter eligible to leave the ring as WBA champion if the bout proceeds.

The miss creates a major shift at 126 pounds. Figueroa won the WBA belt by stopping Nick Ball in the 12th round in February but loses it without making a successful defense. Figueroa reportedly dealt with a hamstring injury during training camp, but the immediate consequence is clear: a victory Saturday would not restore the title to him, while Kameda can become a two-division world champion with a win.

The development also complicates Figueroa’s future in a featherweight division that could soon include Naoya Inoue. Kameda, meanwhile, suddenly has an even bigger opportunity after an 18-month layoff. Saturday’s matchup remains important, but Friday’s scale drama has completely changed the championship stakes.