One of the most consistently exciting and great value-for-money fighters out there right now, WBA featherweight champ Nick Ball will be headlining a homecoming card in Liverpool soon, says his promoter Frank Warren. The undefeated Ball won a decision over Raymond Ford to take the WBA belt at 126 pounds earlier this year, the fight a part of the ‘Five Vs. Five’ between Queensbury fighters and Matchroom fighters. Before that fight, 27-year-old Ball was unlucky not to have won the WBC title in his challenge of Rey Vargas; the fight scored a controversial draw.
Ball should have two belts around his waist now, not just one. In any case, Warren said on his YouTube channel that Ball would make the first defense of his WBA belt against TBA, the planned stacked Liverpool card set to be announced soon.
“There are a lot of good featherweights out there and there are a lot of good fights to be made between all of them,” Warren said. “That is the business we are in, making quality fights, and all of these guys are quality fighters, and all are at different levels and different stages in their careers. Inevitably, they will want to fight for world titles, no doubt about that. Nick’s going to be in action, he is going to defend his world title up in Liverpool. There is a lot going on, we will be [announcing soon]. They [Liverpool] have got one [a hero], they’ve got a few. I am looking forward to the show up there.”
It will be interesting to see who Ball fights in his maiden WBA title defense. A rematch with Ford is possible, though Ford blamed the loss to Ball largely on making 126 pounds, with him stating he will be going up to 130. But Ball has shown he will fight anybody, and he is arguably the best featherweight in the world right now. The other champions are Vargas, WBC, Angelo Leo, IBF, Rafael Espinoza, and WBO, while Brandon Figueroa is the current WBC interim champion.
Either of these rival champions would make a great, great fight for Ball. Let’s see who Warren matches his pocket rocket, an absolute dynamo of a fighter within his hometown of Liverpool. Can Ball, 20-0-1(11), become the undisputed champion at 126 pounds?
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