Local boxer Christian Figueroa only uses EZ Pass when he’s on the Atlantic City Expressway.
Rather than try to continue to build his ring resume against overmatched opponents – a common practice for a lot of young fighters – the Galloway Township cruiserweight has opted to take a major step up in competition Saturday night.
Figueroa (2-0, 2 KOs), the 24-year-old younger brother of Atlantic City super-welterweight Justin Figueroa, will face fellow unbeaten prospect Arjen Iseni (5-0, 5 KOs), from Staten Island, New York, in a scheduled six-round bout at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall’s Adrian Phillips Ballroom.
The fight, which is part of a Sampson Boxing card being shown on ProBox TV, represents a huge challenge for Christian.
He made his pro debut just five months ago after a limited amateur career, posting a first-round knockout over Connecticut’s Lisandro Perez (now 0-3) at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino last November 22, then following it up with a second-round TKO over Philadelphia Avonte Barr (1-4) at Hard Rock in February.
This fight figures to be tougher.
Iseni, 23, has been boxing since he was 7. He turned pro in 2024 after a decorated amateur career that saw him become a five-time national champion.
Since turning pro in 2024, he’s stopped all five of his opponents. In his last outing, he gained a third-round TKO over Mexico’s Mario Bedolla Orazco on January 10 at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Figueroa is the “B Side” fighter on the bout sheet, the one who’s considered the underdog. But as is often the case in boxing, it only takes one punch to join the “A Side.”
Win or lose, however, he deserves a ton of credit for taking a chance. It would have been easier to continue to take on lesser-talented foes in hopes of building up an impressive-looking record.
Better to take a risk and falter than to never take a chance.
The rest of the card features similar fights.
Figueroa-Iseni is on the undercard of a stacked show that marks ProBoxing TV’s first time in Atlantic City.
In the 10-round main event, middleweight contender Vito Milenecki Jr. (22-1, 13 KOs), from Roseland, New Jersey, will meet unbeaten Omar Ulises Huerta (15-0-1, 13 KOs), from San Ysidro, California.
Saturday’s fights will be the fourth card held in Atlantic City this year. Three more are scheduled over the next two months at Showboat (April 18), Hard Rock (May 29) and Tropicana Atlantic City (June 13), respectively.
Three of the area’s undefeated heavyweights will be in action this summer, including a rare matchup of top local contenders.
A six-round bout between Smithville’s Bruce Seldon Jr. (8-0, 6 KOs) and former Egg Harbor Township resident Josh Popper (6-0, 6 KOs) is scheduled to be the main event on the June 13 card, which is being promoted by Margate’s Larry Goldberg of Boxing Insider Promotions.
Seldon, 32, is a 2012 Absegami High School graduate who was a football standout for the Braves. Popper, 31, starred in football and basketball at Holy Spirit before graduating in 2011 and also played football for Rowan University.
“Popper is a fight that would create a lot of buzz,” Seldon said. “It’s sure to be one of the main attractions of the summer in Atlantic City.”
If it happens, it will be the biggest fight between local boxers since former super-middleweights Antowyan Aikins (Mays Landing) and DeCarlo Perez (Egg Harbor Township) squared off at Showboat on September 8, 2018. Perez earned an eight-round, unanimous decision in an action-packed bout that saw each fighter score knockdowns.
The only potential glitch is an injury to either fighter. Popper surprised some by accepting a last-minute fight on Tuesday night in Tennessee against Rydell Booker (23-13-1, 14 KOs).
Booker, 45, is 1-11-1 in his last 13 fights, but is still considered a rugged, durable opponent.
“We hope Josh does well and comes out of the fight unscathed,” Kurtz said. “Because Bruce is working his (butt) off to be ready for June 13. We are leaving no stone unturned.”
Atlantic City heavyweight Rodney Brooks (6-0, 5 KOs), a former basketball standout at Oakcrest High School and Siena University, will be fighting on the Hard Rock card. Pleasantville super-lightweight Julio Sanchez III (4-1, 3 KOs), will be seeking his third straight win at the Tropicana.
David is a nationally recognized sports columnist who has covered Philadelphia and local sports for over 40 years. After 35 years with The Press, he has served as a columnist for 973ESPN.com and created his own Facebook page, Dave Weinberg Extra Points. Send comments to weinbergd419@comcast.net.
