Figueroa loses WBA featherweight title after missing weight

LAS VEGAS: American Brandon Figueroa has been stripped of his WBA featherweight title after hitting the scales 1.4 pounds over the 126-pound weight limit for Saturday's fight against Tomoki Kameda of Japan, organisers said on Friday.

Kameda, 35, will be able to clinch the vacant title if he wins the fight, which will go ahead as scheduled in Las Vegas.

"Honestly, it's disrespectful, because I'm here, I suffered too. I did my thing. I'm ready for tomorrow," Kameda said, speaking via a translator.

"It has been 18 months since I fought, but look at me, look how shredded I am. You know I'm ready. Everything remains the same, I'm going for the title tomorrow."

Figueroa, 29, clinched the featherweight title in February after beating Briton Nick Ball in Liverpool.

If he wins the fight against Kameda, the title will remain vacant. - Reuters