Nick Ball was in a confident mood at today’s final press conference ahead of his first defense of his WBA featherweight title against Ronny Rios.
Ball will take on Rios this Saturday at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool in front of a roaring home crowd. Ball will be back boxing in his home city for the first time since 2020 and he’s spent his last two fights in Saudi Arabia – his first a controversial draw against WBC champion Rey Vargas, followed by victory over Raymond Ford for his world title.
Ball is thrilled to be fighting in front of his beloved Liverpool crowd and will be sharing the stage with four of his stablemates from the thriving Everton Red Triangle gym.
“It’s massive isn’t it because it’s in Liverpool, my home city,” Ball told BoxingScene. “Everyone’s behind me, come out to support me, and in previous fights, they haven’t been able to come. So this one they can, so I need to be putting a show on for them.
“The gym’s flying, we’re all flying in the gym together, and we’re going to be putting on a show for everyone that’s coming out. It’s going to be a special night.”
Ball has emerged as one of the biggest talents in British boxing in recent years and his promoter, Frank Warren, has plans for him to become one of the leading stars in the UK. Such plans could go up in smoke if Ball was to lose to Rios on Saturday night.
Rios, now 34, is a veteran and will be having his third attempt at winning a world title. At today’s press conference, Rios was vocal about how his experience would be key to victory. Ball, however, is not worried about that.
“Every opponent’s dangerous,” said Ball. “Boxing is boxing, and when you get in there it’s dangerous you know. We all know that’s what we signed up for but I’m not really too focused on how dangerous he can be, I’m the one to be worried about, not him.”
Ball and many boxing fans feel that he should be defending two world titles on Saturday night after he was awarded only a draw against Vargas for the WBC title. The now WBA champion has plans to capture the famous green belt he was denied, and the other titles should he beat Rios on Saturday.
“I want whoever’s got the belts,” he said. “Yeah get the [WBC] belt, become unified and undisputed, so yeah, the top spot. Obviously, I’m world champion now, there’s three more belts out there, I need to get them.”
