Nick Ball, who retained his WBA featherweight title with an impressive and once again exciting performance, Ball stopping a game Ronny Rios in the 10th round in his native Liverpool on Saturday night, should by all rights be holding two world title belts now. Ball, as all those fans who saw the March fight know, was extremely unlucky not to have taken Rey Vargas’ WBC title; the fight instead scored a controversial 12-round draw.
Undeterred, Ball, one of the most active world class fighters in the sport today, fought and defeated an unbeaten Raymond Ford for the WBA belt this just three months after the Vargas rip-off. Now, looking to unify the four belts at 126 pounds, Ball wants – and fully deserves – a second fight with Mexico’s Vargas.
But will Vargas do the right thing and show Mexican pride in giving Ball a rematch?
“I’d like the Vargas fight,” Ball said after taking care of the gutsy Rios. “To get the green and gold belt. That green one would be nice to get because that should be mine anyway.”
Indeed, Ball was robbed of a win in March. Vargas pretty much fiddled his way through the fight, with him not at all fighting like a typical Mexican warrior. Tall for the weight, Vargas did box effectively at times, but he was far too negative, moaning to the referee multiple times throughout. Vargas has to know deep down that he lost the fight, and the man from Otumba in Mexico should play fair and grant Ball a rematch. Vargas, 36-1-1(22) should actually be the man calling for the return fight, with him wanting to fight Ball again to prove he is the better fighter of the two.
But we’ve heard nothing from Vargas since the March fight and we have no idea what the 33 year old aims to do next. Ball, though, will continue calling Vargas out, jarring his pride, for as long as he holds that green belt. Only time will tell if Vargas will show sportsmanship and fight Ball a second time.
Ball may well be the best featherweight in the world right now, and the 27-year-old just wants the chance to prove it. If Vargas isn’t willing to dance again, will the other reigning 126 pound belt-holders agree to rumble with Ball? The featherweight division needs a massive star, and maybe Ball can become this star. If the other guys out there will face him, that is. Ball, a throwback fighter, has made it clear he will fight anyone, and as such, the pressure is on the other featherweight champions to man up and fight him. Can anyone at 126 pounds beat Ball? Will we find out at the highest level?
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