Nick Ball successfully defended his WBA featherweight title with a workmanlike performance against a stubborn Sam Goodman in Riyadh.
The Liverpool man remained the busier of the two throughout, forcing the pace and letting his hands go. However, Goodman’s slick footwork and disciplined game plan gave Ball plenty to think about in the opening exchanges.
The Australian challenger refused to be drawn into a firefight and looked comfortable when circling away from danger.
It wasn’t until the fourth round that Ball began to solve the puzzle. Closing the distance with clever pressure, the champion gradually took control of the action, winning most of the rounds down the stretch.
Goodman remained competitive and never stopped trying to upset the rhythm, but Ball’s output and accuracy ensured he banked the decisive sessions.
If Ball hadn’t made those mid-fight adjustments, the contest may have been far closer on the cards. Instead, he pulled away convincingly as the fight wore on.
In the end, two judges read the action correctly with tallies of 118-110 and 117-111, while a third saw it far too narrowly at 115-113.
The unanimous decision was enough to keep the title on Merseyside as Ball continues to cement his reputation as one of Britain’s most relentless modern-day champions.
Early Results
Filip Hrgovic secured a wide points win over David Adeleye, though the contest will be remembered for a wild eighth round that lit up Riyadh.
After dropping Adeleye with a right hand, Hrgovic was stunned moments later as the Briton fired back with a barrage of bombs while unsteady on his feet.
It was three minutes of pure drama that overshadowed the rest of the fight, despite Hrgovic eventually prevailing 99-90, 99-90, and 98-91 on the cards.
Elsewhere, Hayato Tsutsumi dismantled Qais Ashfaq with a third-round stoppage, Raymond Ford outboxed Abraham Nova over ten rounds, and Mohammed Alakel produced a first-round knockout of Yumnam Santosh Singh to remain unbeaten.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.