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Nick Ball’s reign ended in controversial fashion as Brandon Figueroa forced a stoppage in the twelfth round of a punishing featherweight battle that ebbed and flowed until its unsettling conclusion.
Ball began with a clear tactical focus, repeatedly stepping inside to land sharp uppercuts on the taller Figueroa. The approach brought early success, but it required the champion to take shots in order to give them, setting the tone for a demanding fight.
As the rounds passed, Figueroa began to impose himself. His output increased, and the challenger found repeated success with heavy body shots that slowly took a toll on Ball. Momentum swung back and forth through the middle rounds, with Ball’s precision briefly checking the pressure whenever Figueroa threatened to overwhelm him.
Momentum Shifted As The Fight Deepened
By the later stages, the contest had become a test of endurance and composure. Ball continued to land the cleaner shots in close, while Figueroa relied on volume and physicality to keep the pace high. Neither fighter was able to fully break away as the fight see-sawed heading into the championship rounds.
‘The Heartbreaker’ finished stronger in the tenth, but Ball responded in the eleventh with better accuracy, attempting to counter the challenger’s superior output with timing and precision as both men showed the effects of the sustained pace.
A Troubling Finish In The Twelfth
The ending came suddenly and alarmingly. Early in the twelfth, Figueroa landed a heavy left hand that left Ball badly hurt. Despite being in clear trouble, the champion was allowed to continue and absorbed further punishment as Figueroa pressed his advantage.
Ball eventually fell through the ropes as the bout was finally halted, bringing the contest to an abrupt end. What followed created an uneasy atmosphere inside the arena, with Figueroa celebrating while Ball was still visibly distressed, prompting a frosty reaction from the crowd as attention turned to the condition of the fallen champion.
Figueroa later apologized profusely.
WBN had Ball just ahead, going into the final round on the unofficial scorecard.
Official Result: Brandon Figueroa TKO 12
Undercard Results
Jack Turner forced Juan Carlos Martinez Urbina to retire on his stool after three one-sided rounds, having dropped the Nicaraguan multiple times to move to 13 knockouts from 14 victories.
Andrew Cain came through a punishing firefight to stop Alejandro Gonzalez in the ninth round of their WBC bantamweight title eliminator, responding strongly after being floored by a body shot in the eighth.
Brad Strand returned to winning ways with a third-round stoppage of Ruben Gonzalez at super bantamweight, improving to 14-2.
Stephen Clarke moved to 9-0 by stopping Lewis Howells in the eighth and final round of their middleweight contest.
Jack Swallow handed Paddy Lacey his first defeat, edging a 58–57 decision on referee Mark Lyson’s scorecard to improve his record to 4-3-1.
Sam Norris made a successful professional debut with a points victory over Jack England.
Lucas Szeto-Biswana stopped Liam Macmillan at welterweight after scoring three knockdowns, forcing the finish at 2:46 of the opening round to move to 5-0.
Hassan Ishaq halted Leonardo Baez in the third round when the Argentinian was ruled unable to continue by referee John Latham.
Luke Turner opened the card with a points victory in front of childhood friend Luke Littler.
William Birchall followed with a first-round stoppage at super featherweight to improve to 4-0.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
