Stephen “Cool Boy Steph” Fulton has no doubt in his mind that he and Jaron “Boots” Ennis are the torchbearers for a new era of Philadelphia fighters. 

The 27-year-old Fulton, currently the only world titleholder from the City of Brotherly Love, will put his WBO 122-pound title on the line against Brandon Figueroa, who owns the WBC version of the title, in a super bantamweight unification match Nov. 27 at the Park Theater at Park MGM in Las Vegas.

Philadelphia has had some notable world champions in recent years, including Danny Garcia, Julian Williams, and Tevin Farmer; neither of those fighters, however, currently holds a title. 

Asked if he feels like he and Ennis, a 24-year-old rising contender in the welterweight division, represent a new wave of Philadelphia talent, Fulton did not hesitate in his response. 

“I feel like it is,” Fulton told Ray Flores in an interview on Instagram Live. “I don’t just feel like that. It is. That’s what it is. We are that new generation, up and coming from Philadelphia.”

Fulton, however, lamented that there are not many other boxers from Philadelphia in and around his age group who are on the ascent. Apparently, the next generation, however auspicious, will be on the slimmer side.  

“I wish there were more of us coming up and doing our thing, but sometimes the streets can take fighters, [there are] family problems, you never know what it is. Luckily God has blessed both of us to stay on top, to stay on the correct path. 

“Guys like Danny Garcia and J-Rock, Tev, will always be in the mix. But right now this is our time. It’s our time to shine. Everybody gets a time to shine, and right now I’m the one shining. Boots will soon get his time to shine. He’s shining [now]. But what I mean by that is the world title, having that. He gon’ have his time, too. Everybody has their time to shine.”