10/08/2024
Photo Credit: Premier Boxing Champions
It appears the Rey Vargas WBC Featherweight Championship reign is over… at least for now.
Sources have revealed to Brunch Boxing that the WBC has decided to name its Featherweight Champion, Rey Vargas, as “Champion-in-recess.” This decision was reportedly conveyed to Vargas last week in a conversation with WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, and it is said that Vargas was understanding and receptive to the news.
The WBC had originally ordered a title unification fight between Vargas (36-1-1, 22 KOs) and the current interim champion, Brandon Figueroa (25-1-1, 19 KOs), following Figueroa’s rise in the featherweight rankings. That fight, mandated in June 2024, was meant to consolidate the WBC Featherweight Championship. However, Vargas has been unable to meet the order due to a shoulder injury he sustained in his recent bout against Nick Ball. The injury required surgery, making it impossible for Vargas to defend his title in the near future. As a result, the WBC opted to designate Vargas as Champion-in-recess, which will allow him to challenge for the title again when he is fully recovered.
Photo Credit: Premier Boxing Champions
Vargas, a two-division champion, has held the WBC Featherweight Championship since 2022 and previously reigned as the WBC Super Bantamweight Champion from 2017 to 2020. His tenure at super bantamweight also ended with him being named Champion-in-recess after a compound leg fracture kept him out of the ring for over a year. This latest injury setback has once again left the timeline for his return uncertain, as his shoulder injury recovery is still ongoing.
Meanwhile, Brandon Figueroa, the current interim champion, is expected to be promoted to full WBC Featherweight Champion. Figueroa’s promotion comes ahead of his highly anticipated rematch with former unified super bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton Jr., a fight reportedly scheduled for December 14. Figueroa has held the interim title since March 2023, and with Vargas sidelined, the WBC’s decision to elevate him paves the way for an exciting clash in the featherweight division.
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