Nick Ball faces off against Brandon Figueroa in defence of his WBA featherweight title on Saturday night in his home city Liverpool – with hopes of landing a showdown with Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue
I’ve been where Nick Ball is now, on top of the world with every fight a massive challenge.
Ball defends my old WBA featherweight crown against Brandon Figueroa on home turf in Liverpool. That’s a huge advantage against a tough opponent from the United States. Liverpool in February is a world away from his Texas home and Figueroa will feel cold in more ways than one.
Against a partisan Scouse crowd the M&S Bank Arena will arguably be the most hostile venue Figueroa has boxed. But at 5ft 9ins tall he has some things in his favour. Ball is giving away seven inches in height.
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Figueroa was a world champion at super bantamweight and has lost only to Stephen Fulton, albeit twice, first a majority loss in their super bantamweight unification bout then for the WBC featherweight crown 12 months ago.
Figueroa has 19 KOs in 26 fights so it’s going to be a tough assignment for Ball, who has to give this guy serious respect.
Ball calls himself the wrecking ball. He has to be just that because at his height, you can’t stand off your opponent.
I gave five inches to Colombian banger Felipe Orozco in 1984 and won. Although I was only 5ft 6ins I had a relatively long reach. Ball does not have that advantage.
If he’s not punching, he has to keep his head moving, and when he is not doing that he has to be moving his feet, be mobile at all times, relentlessly coming forward.
The big target for Ball is Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue, who would represent his biggest pay day. But in order to get that fight he has to keep winning and in spectacular fashion.
But that won’t be easy against a world class opponent who is just as desperate to be crowned champion of the world for a second time.
This is a genuine 50/50 fight. I wasn’t expected to beat either Juan Laporte or Eusebio Pedroza back in the day but I fought just like Ball and took it to them.
My objective was to step on them early without getting nailed. If you do get caught, fire back with three shots of your own and at a pace your opponent struggles to match.
You have to be prepared to go to the ends of the earth at this stage of your career to keep winning.
Hopefully, with a febrile crowd at his back, Ball will find what he needs to retain his crown. But fasten those seat belts because it is sure to be a rollercoaster night.
Follow Barry on X at @ClonesCyclone @McGuigan’s_Gym
