Featherweight rivals Ball and Lamati both weigh-in successfully
Ball vs Lamati starts live on BT Sport 1 from 7pm
Undefeated WBC Silver featherweight champion Nick Ball (17-0, 10KO) will fight at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland for the first time as a professional, when he defends his prestigious belt against South African Ludumo Lamati (21-0-1, 11KO) on May 27th on the undercard of Lopez-Conlan.
Trained by Paul Stevenson and Anthony Humphreys, WBC #4 Ball is closing in on a potential world title shot against reigning WBC featherweight champion Rey Vargas, 32 from Mexico.
Heavy-handed Nick Ball comes to this fight after technically knocking out Mexican Jesús Ramírez Rubio in the first round in London's York Hall last November, scintillatingly rising to the occasion of his first time in the main event. The headliner scored three thrilling knockdowns to raise the roof of the iconic east end building, which has seen the likes of Johnny Tapia perform there.
26 from Liverpool, Ball conquered the WBC Silver Featherweight title on April 23, 2022 by knocking out the experienced Isaac Lowe in six brutal, bloody rounds at Wembley Stadium, on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte. Many thought this step up in levels had come to soon for Ball, but not only did he step up, he stole the show!
His 18th opponent, Ludumo Lamati from Johannesburg, had an amateur record of around 90 wins with just 10 losses, and participated in the World Amateur Championships in 2011.
Nicknamed “9mm”, he is undefeated in 22 professional bouts and is a former IBO World super-bantamweight champion. In his most recent bout he knocked out Mark Anthony Geraldo of the Philippines on November 17 of last year at the Durban Casino in Durban, South Africa, in what was his statement move up to featherweight.
On Friday, May 26, both warriors passed the official weigh-in of the evening without any major problem. Nick Ball checked in at 125.9 pounds, while Ludumo Lamati was exactly 126 pounds.
What have they said?
Nick Ball
"I am just trying to stay focused. All he says sounds good but I have heard it all before and it is nothing new to me. Let’s see what he is saying when he gets punched in the face on Saturday. I am looking forward to it.
"It is a massive show and I appreciate everyone who got me on it. There is a world title fight at my weight and it is a good chance to show what I am about. I can’t lose focus, I’ve got another man who is coming to win and, if you think I underestimate him, you clearly don’t know me. I’ve got my business to handle first, then we will think about world title belts."
Ludumo Lamati
"Firstly I want to thank Nick Ball’s team of Queensberry. If it is the toughest fight, I don’t know, I will find out on the 27th.
"I am looking forward to this and excited that I have finally got a shot that I think will take me to the world title. I think he is strong, he is a threat and experience-wise, I don’t know, we will find out. I will give him a fight and we will see how he will handle a fight. I’ve been in fights, I’ve been pushed and pushed back. He is strong, comes forward and if he is going to bully me I will deserve that in the ring. I have everything to beat him. 22 guys have tried to beat me and failed all over the world."
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