Nick Ball lost the WBA featherweight crown after being stopped by Brandon Figueroa in Liverpool on Saturday.
The fight looked set to go to the judges until the 12th round, when 29-year-old Figueroa landed a left that floored the champion. Ball managed to rise, but Figueroa pressed him into the ropes with follow-up shots and the referee intervened, preventing the bout from going to the scorecards.
Celebrations from Figueroa’s team sparked a chaotic scene at ringside as members of both camps became involved in a melee.
Ball entered the contest unbeaten in 24 fights and tried to push the pace, landing some telling blows, but Figueroa was busier and refused to be subdued. The decisive moment came late in the final round when Figueroa’s powerful left put Ball down; though Ball beat the count, he was trapped on the ropes by Figueroa’s follow-up and could not continue.
The contest had been closely fought through many rounds. Both men were briefly hurt in the eighth — Ball pinned on the ropes at one stage while Figueroa went down after slipping — and Ball stepped up the pressure in the closing rounds. Still, Figueroa absorbed it and ultimately prevailed.
The defeat is the first of Ball’s professional career, while Figueroa becomes a three-time world champion.
World Darts Champion Luke Littler was ringside to support childhood friend Luke Turner; the 20-year-old middleweight from Warrington recorded his first professional stoppage victory.
The undercard continues to feature notable bouts — catch the Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper bill live on Sky Sports on Sunday, April 5.