In a long, long overdue move, Lance Pugmire reports that the WBC has finally ordered featherweight champion Rey Vargas to defend his title against interim champ Brandon Figueroa.
Less than a month after Vargas (36-1-1, 22 KO) unsuccessfully challenged O’Shaquie Foster for the vacant super featherweight title, Figueroa (25-1-1, 19 KO) overpowered Mark Magsayo for the interim belt last March. Rather than do the obvious thing and just have them duke it out right away, the WBC allowed Vargas to sit out for another year before sticking, moving, holding, and flopping his way to a draw with Nick Ball.
Two months after that, Figueroa ended his own layoff by flattening Jessie Magdaleno to cap off what was, to that point, a rather underwhelming performance.
I’ve got no idea how this one will play out if it comes together. Figueroa is not a difficult man to hit or outmaneuver, but Vargas only managed to play matador for around half of the Ball fight before his 5’2” foe started consistently getting inside. I can, however, safely say the ref will have his hands full.