Atlantic City’s own undefeated super welterweight Justin “Just in Time” Figueroa (14-0, 11 KOs) recently appeared on 97.3 ESPN’s The Sports Bash with host Josh Hennig to discuss his intense preparations for his upcoming bout on March 7 at the Tropicana Atlantic City, promoted by Boxing Insider Promotions. In a candid interview, Figueroa opened up about his most grueling training camp to date, a new world-class coaching setup, and the community support fueling his rise. With a tough 11-2 opponent waiting for him, Figueroa is aiming for win number 15 and knockout number 12.

Setting the Record Straight

The conversation kicked off with Figueroa arriving fresh from a brutal sparring session, having battled through stormy weather and heavy South Jersey traffic to reach the studio. “I survived the weather, the traffic, some sparring rounds. I’m here. That’s all I know. I got here,” he said. Hennig joked about temporarily renaming the fighter’s nickname from “Just in Time” to “You Survived the Weather.”

Figueroa was quick to correct his record, which has been misreported in some places as 16-0. “My actual record is 14 wins, zero losses, 11 knockouts, and I would like to add another win and another knockout March 7th at the Tropicana on Boxing Insider Promotions,” he said.

From Double Digits to the World-Class Doorstep

Reflecting on his trajectory, Figueroa recalled when reaching 10-0 felt like a major milestone just a couple of years ago. “When you get to 10-0, a lot of guys in the beginning of their career could be one, two, three, four, five and 0. But once you get double-digit wins, then you know it’s serious. You’re the real deal,” he explained.

Now at 14-0 with an NABF belt already on his resume from last year, Figueroa says the level of competition around him has intensified across the board. “Everything is so competitive for me now. I’m sparring former world champions. I’m sparring with guys who are 14, 15 and 0 just like me. Sparring with guys who’ve had 300 amateur fights. I’m in the midst of the realest it can be right now, on my way knocking to the world-class level.”

“My Most Uncomfortable Camp”

The heart of the interview centered on Figueroa’s current training camp — one he described as unlike anything he’s experienced before. Working with a new world-class coach and making the daily drive to Cherry Hill for training, everything in his routine has changed.

He recounted a sparring session earlier that day in Philadelphia that left a lasting impression. Moving around with a couple of 140-pounders — smaller, faster fighters — Figueroa initially assumed his coach wanted him to get lighter work heading into the final stretch of camp. He was wrong.

“These guys might have been smaller than me, but that doesn’t mean nothing in the boxing ring. They were touching me up. My nose was bleeding. I went through hell today,” Figueroa admitted. “Then comes to find out, the one kid I was sparring was the number one amateur in the world, and he’s 9-0 as a pro. I’m like, ‘Oh, well, great. That’s nice to know’ — after getting tagged up.”

Rather than getting discouraged, Figueroa embraced the lesson. “This is probably my most uncomfortable camp because of all the competition in sparring and me working with a new world-class coach. Everything is new right now. I put myself in an uncomfortable position and I’m getting comfortable at being in an uncomfortable position, but I feel that it’s going to pay off on fight night March 7th at the Tropicana.”

No Easy Way Out

Figueroa was candid about the mental toll of the sport and why embracing discomfort is non-negotiable at this stage. “If it was easy, everybody would be doing it. Boxing is the number one hardest and loneliest sport in the world. There’s no easy way out. Shout out to Rocky for one of my favorite songs,” he said with a grin.

He described the internal conversation he had with himself after the tough sparring session. “Did I feel a little bad for myself? Of course, that’s normal. But I looked myself in the mirror, looked in my eyes, and I said, ‘Look, man. This is what you asked for. This is a part of the game. Every day is not going to be sunshine and rainbows.’ But guess what? Before the sunshine and rainbows, it rains. And then after it rains, then you get the sunshine and rainbows.”

Figueroa also emphasized the importance of boxing IQ over raw physical attributes. “You could be faster than a guy, you could be stronger than a guy, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be able to beat that guy just because of your attributes. Sometimes it really comes down to the IQ,” he said, drawing a comparison to Tom Brady — a quarterback who succeeded on preparation and intelligence rather than pure athleticism.

The goal of pushing himself beyond what fight night will demand is deliberate. Training rounds longer than the real thing, facing varied styles, getting uncomfortable in the gym — all of it is designed so that when the lights come on March 7, it feels like slow motion. “I could see myself being in the Matrix on March 7th. Maybe when this guy comes out, it’s going to be looking slow motion for me because of the work that I’ve been putting in behind the scenes,” Figueroa said.

Atlantic City Is a Fighting City

Beyond his own preparation, Figueroa expressed deep gratitude for the Atlantic City community’s support. “Sometimes I can’t even believe it. The amount of support that I’ve been getting each fight — it’s a beautiful thing that we could come together as a community,” he said. From his days at Holy Spirit High School, where he first sparred with his dad, to headlining cards at the Tropicana, the local backing has been a constant.

“When I get in the ring in Atlantic City, especially my upcoming fight March 7th, it’s not only me — it’s everyone in that stadium.”

The March 7 card at the Tropicana Showroom is loaded with local talent, and Figueroa made sure to shout out his fellow fighters on the card: Julio Sanchez, Josh Popper (a fellow Holy Spirit alum), Lia Lewandowski, and John Leonardo. “Boxing is back in Atlantic City. Atlantic City is a fighting city,” he declared.

Figueroa also praised Boxing Insider Promotions founder Larry Goldberg: “He is the standard for a local promoter around here. If you want to fight here locally, you have to fight for Boxing Insider Promotions.”

Life Outside the Ring

Hennig congratulated Figueroa on his recent engagement, and the fighter acknowledged the role personal support plays in his career. “Nobody can make it as a solo man. The support has to be there for you to reach your fullest potential,” Figueroa said, thanking his fiancée, his fans, and Hennig for the platform.

Get Your Tickets

Fans can grab tickets directly from Figueroa on Instagram — search @justintimefigueroa or “Just in Time Figueroa.” Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster.

Don’t miss this electric night of boxing on March 7 at the Tropicana Atlantic City. Justin Figueroa is ready to shine under the lights — get your tickets now and witness the next chapter in his undefeated journey.