NICK’S IN THE MEX
Ball ready to take his place on world stage
NICK BALL is a bit too serious to take on an alias so when it is put to him that his fighting style could lead to an obvious one he’s not really up for giving an easy line.
“The Liverpool Mexican? Something like that,” was Ball’s rather blunt response.
The Scouse scrapper is not being rude or shy. He just wants to let his hands do the talking.
To be fair they’ve been making enough noise in boxing circles for the last couple of years.
But now Ball, 27, is ready for his big breakout night when he challenges for the WBC featherweight title on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s clash with Francis Ngannou next Friday.
Ball takes on the experienced Rey Vargas, a Mexican puncher whose only defeat has come in a failed attempt for a world title at super-featherweight against O’Shaquie Foster last year.
It won’t be an easy task in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Just the way Ball likes it.
He said: “I wanted it to be someone like that, he’s a Mexican, everyone not so much fears the Mexicans but you know he’s going to be tough and that’s what I want.”
No easy way to a world title for Ball. He’s coming off an impressive win over Isaac Dogboe last time out to get his chance. Ball believes standing up between rounds helped dishearten Ghana-born Brit Dogboe in that bout.
“When opponents look over and see me standing and sometimes they don’t want to even come out for another round, that has to help,” said Ball, who trains out of the Red Triangle gym in the Everton area of Liverpool.
The clash with Vargas is likely to be more entertaining than Joshua’s bout with an MMA fighter at heavyweight but the pint-sized punchers won’t get the same billing.
Ball is one to watch. This might be a step too early after 19 fights unbeaten but, at 27, he could come again.
If he wins, then he will be catapulted up among the best in the division.
There’s a chance he could be paired with Josh Warrington in Saudi’s planned card of Frank Warren fighters against Eddie Hearn’s stable on June 1.
“I’ll be a problem for anyone who is in my way,” he added. “That’s just who I am.”