Deontay Wilder's next heavyweight title defense will be supported by multiple title fights and a bantamweight bout with world title implications.
PBC unveiled the official lineup for the November 23 FOX pay-per-view event from Las Vegas with a super bantamweight title bout between Brandon Figueroa and Julio Ceja also being announced along with a bantamweight matchup between Luis Nery and Emmanuel Rodriguez being announced.
Figueroa, one of the fastest-rising contenders at super bantamweight, will be defending his WBA secondary super bantamweight title against Ceja, who is coming off two straight losses. Figueroa, who has won all three of his fights in 2019 inside the distance, previously held the interim WBA title but was elevated to "Regular" titleholder recently. In his last fight, Figueroa defeated Javier Nicolas Chacon by fourth-round KO in the main event of a PBC on FS1 card back in August.
Ceja has lost three of his last five fights, including his last two bouts. His most recent outing was against former world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux in a title eliminator but Ceja was stopped at the end of the eighth round. Despite the stoppage, Ceja was ahead on all three scorecards.
As for the lone bantamweight bout on the card, Nery and Rodriguez will have a chance to move one step closer towards another world title opportunity. Nery, who was previously promised a future shot at the WBC world title, will be fighting on a third PBC pay-per-view show this year with his last two being wins inside the distance against McJoe Arroyo and Juan Carlos Payano. Nery has won all 30 of his pro bouts and is a former WBC champion, but lost his belt at the scales last year before a rematch against Shinsuke Yamanaka in Japan.
Rodriguez competed in the World Boxing Super Series bantamweight tournament, losing his IBF championship against Naoya Inoue via second-round knockout back in May. Rodriguez was originally supposed to fight Rau'shee Warren on October 26 in a title eliminator but Warren withdrew from the bout after suffering an injury.
Below is the current lineup for the November 23 pay-per-view:
- Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz: WBC Heavyweight Title
- Leo Santa Cruz vs. Miguel Flores: Vacant WBA "Super" Super Featherweight Title
- Brandon Figueroa vs. Julio Ceja: WBA "Regular" Super Bantamweight Title
- Luis Nery vs. Emmanuel Rodriguez
