Medina (27-4, 19 KOs) got the job done in a welcome homecoming but must be sharper against tougher opposition, having failed to deter former IBF junior flyweight beltholder Curiel (26-7-1, 5 KOs).

The lopsided scorecards didn't tell the full story either: 120-108, 116-112 and 115-113 in Medina's favor against an undersized but determined contender making his second appearance in the division.

As advertised, the pair traded leather with crowd-pleasing exchanges in the early going from Guadalajara's Domo Alcalde, Medina unloading uppercuts while Curiel countered with body shots.

Faster and constantly on the move, the defending world champion didn't need much time to find his range while Curiel looked to close the distance and finish their furious flurries better.

He breached Medina's defenses with a nicely placed overhand right in the fourth, though it was absorbed well.

While guilty of abandoning his defensive instincts too much for comfort, the Guadalajara native fired back with dizzying combination punching, negating that work and targeting the body, too.

As soon as Medina established a rhythm, he muddied his work by missing the target when head-hunting, allowing Curiel to bank some of the middle rounds before a frantic finish.

The Ring's No. 2 bantamweight is the second-youngest contender for a vacant title previously held by pound-for-pound star Junto Nakatani. Newly minted WBC beltholder Takuma Inoue and four-weight champion Kazuto Ioka pitched impressive victories in December and will be among those interested in a 2026 meeting.