WBC Silver featherweight champion Nick Ball broke down Ludumo Lamati to win in the 12th
WBC #4 featherweight Nick Ball (18-0, 11KO) defended his WBC Silver title with a 12th-round TKO win over South Africa's Ludumo Lamati (21-1-1, 11KO) in Belfast on May 27.
Unbeaten Ball broke down the former IBO World super-bantamweight champion with high pace, constant pressure and sustained power for 36 minutes.
Lamati's six-inch height advantage posed issues for Queensberry's Ball in the first two rounds of the fight, but by the third and fourth, the explosive Liverpudlian began closing the distance with ease. Once inside, the 26-year-old landed vicious combinations, and Lamati's corner stopped the bout in the latter stages of the final round.
Post-fight, Ball showed his concerns for his dance partner, "I'm happy. If you're gonna learn in any fight then that's the fight you're gonna learn in. But the main thing is Lamati's health and when I know he's alright then I'll be even more happy. This boxing is not no joke. You can lose your life in there so the main thing is his health.
"I knew he was a tricky fighter, I knew he was gonna start the rounds well. I had good advice from Paul each round, going back to the corner, just telling me let him come on and catch him as he's coming in, doesn't all have to be full blazing, I think my fitness showed a massive part in that fight in the pace. My pace dictated the fight and I got the job done in the end and got him out of there.
"I'm ranked fourth in the world now with the WBC, that's the only way I'm going, I didn't lose, I won, it was 12 rounds and I learnt a lot in that fight, I'll have to watch it back to see how my performance went. The only way I'm going is up, and that's world level, and my name is getting mentioned with the world champions, so yeah I feel like I will be fighting for world titles soon, definitely."
Trained by Paul Stevenson at the talent-laden Everton Red Triangle gym in Liverpool, the undefeated world-ranked talent could be looking at forcing a world title shot at WBC champion Rey Vargas or IBF holder Luis Alberto Lopez next. Ranked at WBO #7, he could also legitimately call out WBO champ Robeisy Ramirez too.
The Fight – As it Happened
Lamati has long levers and there's a considerable height and reach defecit for Ball here, who is trying to land his jab, varying from head to body. Nick pivoted to his right and his gloves touched the canvas for a split second but the referee shook his head to discredit the touchdown and they continued. The opener was a feeling out round with Ball trying to get close but the long levers of Lamati kept him at bay for now. Ball wa smore aggressive and on the front foot, trying the more positive things, so he should have taken that on the cards, but very even.
Lamati opens up in the second, giving Ball openings to exploit, but they're straight shots so not too risky. The pair finish the round with a bit of a telling off from referee Kevin Parker for not stopping boxing when instructed. Ball had a high guard in the first as he worked behind his jab, but he's dropping his left hand in a sling as he looks to get bigger shots off in the second.
Lamati startes each round fast, but Ball throws him off not allowing to be bullied. Ball headlocks Lamati down to the floor but there's no knockdown, obviously. Lamati landed a clean right hand but no power behind it, and it's another even round.
The fourth round was exciting, the fight feels likes it's ready to ignite at any time. Ball is the one looking likeliest to land that telling punch to change the fight. It's a great war of attrition so far.
Ball catches Lamati on the ropes and fires off his shots cleverly going for his man in the right situation, Lamati's head actually went through the ropes at one point. Ball catching the South African with a few right hands in the fifth. Now they're exchanging at mid-range, Ball is able to outjab the rangier man.
Ball starting to tee off in the sixth, landing a lot more and strutting with confidence. Lamati got about three clean shots in and was clearly incentivised by his success.
"9mm" targeting the body of Ball in the seventh. Ball lands a nice right uppercut, tries to repeat it. Lamati having success to the body. Big one-two from Ball ends the round.
Lamati unbalanced, falling forward, and is pulled to the floor by Ball, but with little effort, so no foul play involved. Bit of a messy round in the eighth with a lot of clinching.
Nice uppercut on the inside from Ball. But then he gets a telling off for hitting after the break. Not much coming back from the man from Johannesburg in this ninth round, could this be the beginning of the end for the visitor.
Lamati has visibly slowed and Ball knows he needs a big shot here to close the show, then he lands a stiff jab to rock Lamati's head back, showing he's still got power even this late. Ball launches a sustained attack at Lamati in the closing moments but somehow he stays standing upright! Left and right hooks thudded in to the head, then more big shots crash through the guard and Lamati somehow manages to escape from the corner while taking two more left hands on the way out. Anyone else would have gone down under such heavy hands.
Round 11 and Lamati is still in it as he lands a big right hand after taking one himself. Ball is looking to end it. He throws Lamati to the ground out of frustration as they clinched but escapes a point deduction.
A jab from Ball snaps Lamati's head back in the 12th. Two big lefts from Ball with the clock ticking down. Ball is still looking for a KO despite being so many rounds ahead and cruising to a unanimous decision. Ball catches Lamati with a big right hand, forces him back to the ropes, then another right hand is enough for the corner to throw the towel in with only 30 seconds to go. Lamati collapses in the corner and celebrations are stalled.
Everyone was expecting an explosive performance from Ball, with the odds for a first round knockout at the bookies considerably low, but he was in against a former world champion, unbeaten in 22 bouts, who was very experienced with an amateur record of 90-10, a slick operater, a bit awkward, very disciplined and skilled, so it shouldn't take anything away from Ball's performance, which was punch perfect.
The official time of stoppage was 2:15 of round 12. Ball receives his applause on his own, as Lamati is stretchered out of the arena. That's five consecutive KOs for the Liverpool wrecking ball.
Post-fight, Ball said he knew Lamati was going to be tricky and start each round well, which is exactly what the South African did. Trained by Paul Stevenson and Anthony Humphreys from the Everton Red Triangle gym, Nick Ball is WBC #4 and is either looking for the WBC titleholder Rey Vargas or the winner of Lopez vs Conlan next.
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