By: Sean Crose
WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball retained his title Saturday evening by repeatedly dropping, then stopping, a really recreation Ronny Rios. Though the 21-0-1 Ball dominated the combat, his nostril obtained fairly busted up all through the bout. “My nostril at all times goes,” he mentioned afterward, “it’s boxing, you’re going to get just a little nosebleed. It’s what makes champions.” Such a businesslike angle actually served Ball nicely as he impressed what was basically his hometown crowd on the M&S Financial institution Area in Liverpool, England. Not that Ball had a lot dangerous to say in regards to the defeated challenger after the bout ended within the tenth spherical.
“That’s what we practice for,” Ball mentioned, “stuff like that, take them out. Hats off to him, he caught me with a number of on my nostril.” Positive sufficient, the 34 yr previous Rios was nothing if not recreation. After a brutal early portion of the bout, the American fired again viciously on Ball. It wasn’t sufficient, although. With solely 17 KOs in a profession spanning 39 fights, Rios simply didn’t have the firepower to carry off the aggressive defending champion. As a result of energy, energy and a potent recreation plan, Ball was merely a stage above Rios within the ring on Saturday.
Though he isn’t often called an influence puncher himself, Ball was the image of sharp aggression on Saturday, ranging from the opening bell. Tossing off countless energy photographs, it nearly appeared like Ball would gasoline himself out. He didn’t. The truth is, he was capable of drop Rios within the third in addition to the seventh rounds. Rios obtained up on each events. Positive sufficient, the person was even capable of get again on his ft after Ball actually knocked him by way of the ropes within the tenth. By that time, nevertheless, Rios’ crew had seen sufficient. They stopped the bout earlier than their fighter took any extra harm.
After the match had ended, Ball indicated that there was extra to do at featherweight. “I’ve obtained one among 4 belts,” he mentioned, “and it might be good to get one other one.”
