Nick Ball lost his WBA featherweight title after a knockout defeat to Brandon Figueroa in front of his home crowd in Liverpool on Saturday.
The contest looked likely to go to the scorecards when 29-year-old American Figueroa landed a left-hand that sent the champion to the canvas in the 12th round. Ball rose, but Figueroa pressed him into the ropes and the referee stopped the contest to ensure it did not reach the judges’ scorecards.
Chaos followed as celebrations from Figueroa’s camp spilled into a melee between the two camps at ringside.
Undefeated in 24 fights before the bout, Ball had tried to force the pace, landing some telling blows, but Figueroa threw more punches and would not be subdued. The decisive breakthrough came in the closing three minutes when Figueroa’s strong left hand put Ball down; although Ball beat the count, Figueroa’s follow-up left him trapped on the ropes and unable to continue.
There had been little between the pair through many rounds. Both men wobbled in the eighth — Ball was pinned on the ropes at one point while Figueroa briefly went down after slipping — and Ball pushed the tempo in the final rounds, but Figueroa held firm and eventually prevailed.
The loss hands Ball the first defeat of his career, while Figueroa becomes a three-time world champion.
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