Featherweight titleholder Nick Ball anticipates being in exciting action fights, and he tells fans to expect as much.
But upon reflection, there may have been just a touch too much action and perhaps just a smidgen more excitement than necessary in his unanimous decision victory over Australia’s Sam Goodman in his world title defense Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ball, in his third consecutive title defense since lifting a belt off Raymond Ford in June 2024, got as good as he gave in a back-and-forth barnburner in which Ball’s power ultimately told the tale. Win or no, Ball walked away from the Goodman bout with a darkened right eye and with maybe a half dozen swing rounds in his wake. Depending on the officials sitting ringside on a given night, a similar decision might have instead gone to the Aussie.
“It was good, obviously, and still a world champ,” Ball said in the ring after the fight. “But probably wasn’t the best performance of mine, honest opinion, yeah. But the main thing is, you got the job done – and still champion.”
Ball, 23-0-1 (12 KOs), of Liverpool, UK, spent the fight’s early rounds hoping to crack the code on Goodman’s jab before finally throwing caution to the wind, wading in and uncorking his own power as the best countermeasure to his opponent’s offense.
“I don't really know, probably got into it too much,” Ball said of the punches he soaked up from Goodman, 20-1 (8 KOs). “Most of them were on the gloves, but I'll have to watch it back. … The main thing, fan-friendly. That's what it's all about, innit, and everyone enjoying what they're watching? So, yeah, that's all good.”
And for defense No. 4? Ball wouldn’t name names, nor would he take the bait when they were essentially provided to him. He was asked about the possibility of taking on his fellow featherweight titlists – or perhaps junior featherweight alpha Naoyo Inoue in a move up to 122. He made it clear that, although he isn’t necessarily seeking out another Goodman-style cracker, he isn’t any more interested in taking a backwards step outside of the ring than he is inside it.
“I just want to keep fighting, keep improving what I've always been doing. They’re the men there for that, so best speaking to them,” Ball said, jabbing a finger in the direction of his representation. “I'm ready to just keep fighting and focusing on myself. I obviously want to be in with the big names, the title fights. That's the main key.”
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Jason Langendorf is the former Boxing Editor of ESPN.com, was a contributor to Ringside Seat and the Queensberry Rules, and has written about boxing for Vice, The Guardian, Chicago Sun-Times and other publications. A member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, he can be found at LinkedIn and followed on X and Bluesky.