A year after suffering a defeat for a world featherweight title, Brandon Figueroa captured another championship with a thrilling 12th-round stoppage against Nick Ball on Saturday.
The Mexican-American, referred to as ‘The Heartbreaker,’ quieted Ball’s local supporters at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England, by halting Ball in the final round to claim the WBA world featherweight title.
Ball relinquished the belt in his fourth defense after a closely contested bout with two-weight world champion Figueroa intensified early in the last round when Ball fell victim to a left hook.
Figueroa (27-2-1, 20 KOs) knocked Ball (23-1-1, 13 KOs) down with a sweeping left hook, then followed up to secure a TKO victory just 32 seconds into Round 12, with Ball left hanging over the ropes after a barrage of punches.
“I felt like I was in control; I caught him with a short left hook and then went out there and finished it,” Figueroa, who was leading on two of the judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage, told DAZN.
“I have been away from my family for three months; I arrived here 10 days before the fight, and our game plan worked—thanks to my trainer Manny Robles.”
“I want to compete in front of my own fans, and I aim to unify.”
This victory opens the door for a potential world title unification bout for Figueroa against one of the other champions: Rafael Espinoza (WBO), Bruce Carrington (WBC), and Angelo Leo (IBF).
Since securing the WBA belt with a split decision over Raymond Ford in June 2024, Ball has been among the top competitors in the 126-pound division but spent much of the fight on the defensive against Figueroa.
This win was crucial for the career of 29-year-old Figueroa, who hails from Weslaco, Texas. He lost the WBC world featherweight title to Stephen Fulton on points a year ago in a rematch, having also been defeated by the same opponent in a world title unification bout at junior featherweight in 2021.
At five-foot-two, Ball was seven inches shorter than his opponent but managed to land his punches effectively early in the match.
Ball, 28, from Liverpool, made an immediate impact by landing a right uppercut through Figueroa’s guard in the first round. The American was caught by additional uppercuts as he advanced later in the first, and Ball’s quick combinations continued to find their mark in Round 2.
Southpaw Figueroa found more success in the third round, particularly to the body, and in the fourth, he outstruck Ball with power punches.
Ball landed some solid shots towards the end of the fifth, including a looping right hand, and he remained active in Round 6 as well. As Figueroa’s output decreased, Ball capitalized by landing screw shots and a consistent jab in the seventh.
Despite having reach and height advantages, Figueroa opted to engage at close range at times, which Ball took advantage of in some of the later rounds. Figueroa increased his punch volume in Round 9, but he was caught on the counter a few times in the 10th.
Perhaps realizing he needed a strong finish after a competitive fight, Ball came out aggressively for the final round but was caught by a powerful left hook.
Ball fell facedown on the canvas but bravely got back up, only for Figueroa to send him crashing through the ropes with a flurry of punches. Referee Steve Gray then halted the contest with Ball draped over the ropes.
