Boxing
Road to Liverpool: How did Nick Ball come to latest WBA featherweight title defence?
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Nick Ball will bid to defend his WBA featherweight strap once again as he takes on the challenge of Brandon Figueroa this weekend, live on DAZN.
The Liverpool fighter headlines a homecoming show at the city's M&S Bank Arena as he bids to tee up a major 2026 with plenty on the line for him.
Victory could push him closer to major unification bouts this year, but Ball will know Figueroa - a former two-weight champion - is a dangerous threat.
But just how did both men come to this encounter? DAZN News looks back at the last five fights for each man and profiles what brought them to this bout.
The RingNick Ball (23-0-1)
- Age: 28
- Fights: 24
- Last five: DWWWW
Small in stature, but dangerous in every other regard, the man from Merseyside has made a habit of tearing up expectations about his size in the ring.
His first world title shot saw him come up short in a split draw against Rey Vargas back in 2024 for the WBC crown, but the star didn't wait long again.
Ball promptly dethroned Raymond Ford in his next bout for the WBA crown and then reeled off stoppages against Ronny Rios and TJ Doheny to follow.
His last bout, against Australian Sam Goodman, arguably made for his toughest night, even as he took a comfortable decision in Riyadh to retain his strap.
Brandon Figueroa (26-2-1)
- Age: 29
- Fights: 29
- Last five: WWWLW
A former super-bantamweight and featherweight champion, 'The Heartbreaker' knows his way around a ring and has built a formidable reputation of his own.
Figueroa stepped up to the latter division in 2022 and reeled off wins over Carlos Castro and Mark Magsayo, claiming the vacant WBC interim strap.
He was promoted after a win against Jessie Magdaleno in 2024, but subsequently lost it to Stephen Fulton - the man who ended his previous title reign - in 2025.
Since then, Figueroa has fought just the once, with a decision victory over Joet Gonzalez last July - and he will be hungry to make up for lost time against Ball.
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