Nick Ball on Rios fight: It’s going to be a good one
After following a long, hard road to the top, Nick Ball has started ticking off his bucket list moments quickly.
Ball has spent this year plying his trade in Saudi Arabia where his all-action style has made him a darling of Riyadh Season and earned him a world featherweight title. On Saturday night, he returns home to Liverpool with his spoils and gets to accomplish another dream.
The Wrecking Ball will make the first defence of the WBA belt against America’s Ronny Rios and he will get to do so just a couple of minutes from his Liverpool home, in an arena full of his friends and family. For all the latest fight odds, visit our sportsbook.
The 27-year-old can’t wait.
“I’m getting more excited”
“Yeah, it feels good. Each day it’s getting closer and closer so I’m getting more excited as the days go on. It’s going to be a good one,” Ball told 32Red.
“Because it’s here in Liverpool, they [the fans] know that they can come and they can speak to me about it.
“Not many people can get out to Saudi Arabia and places like that, and even places here that are out of the way. This is right on our doorstep and the people who have always been behind me since the start of my career, they get to come along so it’s a good feeling.
“You envision everything, don’t you? You envision every part of it, all different kinds of things but on fight night we’ll see what’s happening.”
Winning a world title hasn’t dulled Ball’s edge in the slightest. The fighters from his Everton Red Triangle Gym are focused and determined in the gym and vicious and aggressive in the ring. Ball has worked hard to get to this stage and will be grimly determined not to allow Rios to ruin his future plans. Rios has spoken about his determination to meet Ball in the middle of the ring but the Liverpudlian believes he should be careful what he wishes for.
“I’m not taking my foot of the gas”
“Same old,” Ball said about his daily routine at Thursday’s press conference. “Always working hard in the gym listening, staying focused with the same people around me and it all pays off on fight night.
“There are loads of fighters out there who want to become a world champion and that shows they’re proper fighters. I was like that coming up and now that I’ve done it, I’ve got to keep the same mentality. Keep working hard and not taking my foot off the gas and keep going.
“Yeah, he’ll probably try [and make it a fight]. He’s a fighter, isn’t he? But there’s a big difference when you’re getting hit inside. When it’s coming back at you and it’s not going to stop. It’ll be interesting to see what he does.”
Ball won’t just be surrounded by familiar faces as he walks to the ring. Four of his gym mates are also fighting on the card and he will share his dressing room with the same people he has spent years working alongside. Ball is spearheading Liverpool’s boxing revival but he is also creating opportunities for his friends.
“Yeah, it’s been boss. Just being with the lads every day in the gym. This means the most to us. We’re all fighting together on the night so that’s going to be even more special.
“It’s go time now, isn’t it?”
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