All-action Nick Ball ready for latest challenge
In his last fight, under the famous arch at Wembley Stadium, Liverpool’s Nick Ball (15-0, 7KOs) went from unknown prospect to overnight star, catapulted into the top 15 in the world.
The 25-year-old smashed through bookies favourite Isaac Lowe in six rounds to steal the show, claim his first professional title, and capture the public’s attention.
The three-time national amateur champion is now the WBC’s 15th world ranked featherweight and the exposure has been a long time coming, he believes, “Now it’s happening itself, like it should be, so it’s good. Everyone’s taking note, no one really knew before the last fight, so since then they’ve all started taking note. It has all been good and I’ve been getting a load of attention and new supporters, but life hasn't changed for me, and I will stay with the hard work and being focused.”
Ball trains at the Everton Red Triangle gym with fellow WBC titleholder Andrew Cain and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Peter McGrail under the watchful eye of head coach Paul Stevenson.
“The gym’s flying now and that’s all it needed,” Ball enthused. “And it’s going to continue to keep getting that [exposure] if we just continue to keep doing what we’re doing, listening to Paul [Stevenson] and Ant [Humphreys], doing the right things and let the fights do our talking and everything else will follow.”
Ball’s maiden title defence comes against Namibia’s second-ranked featherweight Nathanael Kakololo (14-3-1, 6KO), placed in the top 100 in the world.
However, he was originally scheduled to fight for the British and Commonwealth titles against Nathaniel Collins, who withdrew with injury just weeks before.
The youngster is experienced enough to understand that these things unfortunately happen in the sport, “Not majorly disappointed,” he shrugged. “It’s just one of them things isn’t it, that’s just what happens, but you can’t take your eye of the ball, you’ve got to stay focused on what’s ahead, focus on your next challenge and get that out the way to better things and don’t look back.”
His new opponent is an African champion who feels aggrieved that he was robbed in his last fight away from home, so claims to have revenge in mind during his trip to London.
Nick responded, “I haven’t seen much of him, I’ll find out Saturday night what he’s all about, I’m just focused on myself and do what I’ve been doing and that’s enough to beat him. He’s got revenge in mind with the wrong person!”
He added, “I am ready to go now and can’t wait. I will push on for bigger and better things now. I don’t want to look at him on YouTube, I want to look at him in real life and I will find out everything about him on Saturday night. I’ve got nothing really to say to him. No talking and all action, as always.”
The cancelled contest with Collins is set to be rescheduled, although Ball is slightly skeptical if it actually will be, previously questioning whether the Scotsman really wants to face him in the ring.
“Don’t really know to be honest,” he wondered. “I’ll do whatever Paul [Stevenson] thinks is best and Frank [Warren].”
If the British title fight doesn’t materialise again, the next best option could be the European belt held by fellow Brit, Jordan Gill.
“That will be well better wouldn’t it because its one step closer to the world title,” Ball responded enthusiastically. “Every featherweight, get in me in the ring with them, I’ll fight whoever!”
The main events on Saturday night include a British and Commonwealth super-middleweight clash between in-form champion Lennox Clarke and heavy-handed challenger Mark Heffron, as well as Boxing Writers’ Young Boxer of the Year winner Hamzah Sheeraz in a WBC Silver middleweight title fight.
Although these headliners are bound to provide entertainment, all eyes are on Nick Ball as the main fight of the night everyone really wants to watch.
“Probably because of that last one, they wanna see me fight again, I reckon,” he estimated.
“I’ve got the style they probably want to see, they want explosive and action-packed fights and that’s what I bring. It’ll be explosive and all action, as always!” he promised.
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