Winning over fans in the UK, the country with the most knowledgeable boxing audience in the world is no easy task. The young boxer from Liverpool, Nick Ball (20-0, 11 knockouts) was able to do that, in a division that is always full of talents in featherweight. On Saturday, October 4, the whole island is eagerly awaiting the first defense of his WBA belt. What makes this guy different from other UK fighters?
It is a style that people love.
At 5 feet 2 inches tall, the “Wrecking Ball” is among the shortest, even in the featherweight division. The ball compensates for the height difference with burst and speed. Controlled pressure and quick combinations have been a nightmare for all opponents of the brave Liverpool boy so far. If you add a strong punch to this, it becomes clear why the Ball is attracting so much attention. Last year’s fights with Isaac Dogboe and Raymond Ford are the best showcases of his skills.
The match with Dogboe was perhaps the most important in the further development of Nick’s career. He won by unanimous decision (118-109, 116-111, 118-1018), boxing aggressively but cautiously, with an excellent jab, which he uses to open all his actions and combinations. This battle has shown that Football can be functional and attractive at the same time, which are mandatory qualities to defeat the world’s elite. Ford’s war only confirmed expectations. In a heated debate that has delighted fans of high-quality art, Bhola deserved to win the title. The fight was very even, with a split decision by the judges, but the WBA belt was deservedly awarded to the Englishman.
Ronnie Rios and his first title defense.
On Saturday, October 4, Bhola will fight in front of the home fans in his hometown of Liverpool. The opponent is another American, Roni Rios (34-4, 17 knockouts). The fight has been overshadowed by the long-awaited clash between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, but will attract a lot of attention in Europe, especially in the UK.
The veteran Rios has over 30 fights under his belt, and has fought veterans like Oscar Negrete and Ray Vargas. Although he lost to the top-ranked Murodjon Akmadaliev, Rios is by no means a stepladder for Ball. Long arm length, high guard, and a quick right cross could be a problem for the 27-year-old Englishman. On the other hand, Ronnie Rios cannot boast of having a very strong chin, which has been seen in his previous fights.
The fight is shown in Britain on TNT Sports. In addition to the main, this card has several other good opening matches, the most promising of which is the clash between Jack Rafferty and Henry Turner. Fans are expecting an exciting fight, and if they win, a belt unification match between Nick Ball and one of the champions from other organizations.
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