Nick Ball Faces A Acquainted Drawback As Figueroa Nears

Nick Ball 125.11 vs. Brandon Figueroa 125.14

Weigh in articles often get bogged down in the math, but the math here is a headache for the champion. Ball is essentially a fire hydrant with a motor. Standing 5’2″ against a 5’9″ challenger, he enters the ring with a massive physical deficit. But as his recent run proved, those numbers are deceptive. Ball doesn’t box, so his lack of size may not affect him.

The problem for Figueroa is that Ball turns every fight into a phone booth battle. He isn’t interested in a chess match at range. He wants to lean on his man, dig to the body, and make that seven-inch height difference feel like a burden.

Figueroa, however, is not your typical rangy featherweight. He throws punches in bunches and refuses to back down. This creates a rare paradox:

• The Ball Strategy: Turn this into a wrestling match. If he isn’t leaning, clinching, or digging into the ribs, he’s in trouble. He has to get so close that Figueroa’s height becomes a liability.
• The Figueroa Factor: Usually, the taller man wants space. Figueroa, however, threw over 1,000 punches in his last outing. He won’t be running; he’ll be meeting Ball in the middle. The question is whether he can maintain that pace against a man who fights with the force of a landslide.

Home Soil Pressure

This is Ball’s first time back in Liverpool since last summer. While the M&S Bank Arena will be a cauldron of support, that energy can be a trap. If Ball gets caught up in the crowd’s roar and tries to head-hunt against a naturally larger man, he might find the championship rounds much longer than expected.

Quick Hits from the Undercard

• Bantamweight: Andrew Cain (117.8) and Alejandro Gonzalez (117.5) hit their marks for their WBC eliminator. Cain looks to keep his momentum after stopping Charlie Edwards.
• Logistics: The action kicks off Saturday at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena. You can catch the card live on DAZN starting at 7 p.m. GMT / 2 p.m. ET.