Avila Perspective Chap 363: Ball vs Figueroa in Liverpool and Fundora News

Avila Perspective Chap 363: Ball vs Figueroa in Liverpool and Fundora News

By David A. Avila

On the streets of Liverpool people are talking about a little bully boy named Nick Ball who continues whipping on bigger guys who cross his path.

Ball can fight.

Ball (23-0-1, 13 Kos) gives up seven inches in height when he meets Brandon Figueroa (26-2-1, 19 Kos), a Texas slugger at Echo Arena in Liverpool, England on Saturday Feb. 7. DAZN will stream the Queensberry Promotions card.

Figueroa has a seven-inch height advantage and at least that much in arm reach advantage over Ball. That seems to be the problem the Liverpool fighter faces every time he enters the boxing ring. Yet, he holds the WBA featherweight world title.

How did that happen?

Back in March of 2024, Ball challenged American fighter Raymond Ford for the WBA feather title. They met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After 12 rounds of terse struggle, Ball emerged the winner by split decision, despite having size and reach disadvantages.

Here we are again and Ball faces an even greater disadvantage against Figueroa, a taller and longer reaching fighter who formerly held the super bantamweight world title. But instead of facing a boxer type, Ball meets a slugger who likes to fight inside or out.

Figueroa hails from Weslaco, Texas, a small town of 40,000 people located at the southern tip of the state bordering Mexico. The fighter has Mexican roots and his brother Omar Figueroa is also a former world champion. Like most Mexican fighters they prefer the pressure-fighting approach known as “Mexican style.”

When Figueroa meets Ball he won’t have difficulty tracking the champion who also prefers pressuring opponents. They are both like two runaway trains on the same track headed for destruction.

“I’m definitely not overlooking him,” said Ball who is making his fourth title defense. “The taller they are the harder they fall. Bigger target, bigger body all bigger things to hit.”

Figueroa is accustomed to world title contests

“They are all the same thing, but it never works out. We’ll see this Saturday,” said Figueroa. “Liverpool fans are going to see my style of fighting and Liverpool fans are going to love it.”

Both guys like to bang. They don’t run and hide or slap.

“I know it’s going to be an exciting one. It can go early or it can go late. But it’s going to end in a win for Nick Ball,” said Ball.

Several of the bouts feature Liverpool fighters versus Mexican fighters.

“We set out to bring big time boxing back to Liverpool and that’s what we’re set to do. This is a fight city,” said promoter Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions.

Towering Inferno in Hollywood

Sebastian Fundora, the WBC super welterweight world titlist also known as the “Towering Inferno” due to his 6’6” height and reach, appeared in Hollywood, Calif. on Wednesday to talk about his upcoming fight with Keith Thurman on March 28, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“The super welterweight division is the hottest division in boxing right now,” said promoter Tom Brown of TGB Promotions.

Fundora (23-1-1, 15 Kos) and Thurman (31-1, 23 Kos) have agreed to meet on Saturday March 28, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for the WBC super welter title. The TGB Promotions card will be streamed on Amazon Prime pay-per-view.

Both met at Avalon Theater in Hollywood to promote their pending title fight. They had been set to meet this past October but Fundora suffered a hand injury while preparing and the entire boxing card was canceled.

The match was re-made.

“The fact that Sebastian is a man of his word, he wanted this fight,” said Thurman happy about Fundora keeping their challenge intact.

Fundora knows all about Thurman’s lengthy success throughout the years.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity. Let’s keep it going,” said Fundora who knows that a victory over Thurman would increase his profile and following.

Thurman said that the extra tall Fundora poses a problem with his height and skill, but the extra time due to the cancellation allowed him more time to analyze and prepare thoroughly.

“Sebastian has defeated some great champions and some great fighters, but most of them had had their spirits broken already,” explained Thurman. “My spirit has never been broken. He is going to have to do something different on March 28.”

Fundora calmly responded to Thurman’s prognostication.

“Of course he is an experienced fighter, anything can happen in boxing, but that’s what we train for. We train hard and, when you do that, things come out your way,” Fundora said.

Fights to Watch (Pacific Time)

Sat. DAZN 11 a.m. Nick Ball (23-0-1) vs Brandon Figueroa (26-2-1).

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