Late left hand ends a punishing fight and places a pressure fighter in charge of the featherweight class
Brandon Figueroa removed Nick Ball in the twelfth round to capture the WBA featherweight belt, shutting down Liverpool with a finish that arrived after eleven hard rounds. One straight left changed ownership of the title and redirected the class.
Figueroa, now 30-1-1 with 22 knockouts, fought the kind of fight trainers respect. He stayed behind the jab, let his hands go in combination, and accepted the grind once the bout settled into close quarters. Ball, 20-1-1 with 11 knockouts, tried to impose himself early, stepping inside and forcing exchanges at a high pace.
Twelve-round fights reward the man who manages his gas tank.
By the middle rounds, Figueroa looked stronger. His shots traveled clean while Ball’s nose leaked and his mouth showed damage from steady connects. The challenger kept resetting his feet and punching straight, small details that add up when rounds stack.
Seconds into the final round, the break came. Figueroa drove a straight left through the guard and dropped Ball heavy. The champion rose at nine, yet his legs did not answer. A tight follow-up brought the referee across before more punishment landed.
Ugly moments followed as debris came toward the ring and teams tangled briefly. Figueroa moved quickly to calm it.
“I’m sorry for the celebration, we didn’t mean anything, we were just excited. Sorry about that,” he said.
He then acknowledged the former belt holder.
“Big shout out to Nick Ball, he is a great Liverpool champion and one of the best England have ever had. I have nothing but respect for him.”
The cards already pointed his way, with Figueroa ahead on two when the stoppage came. No debate left to settle.
Scorecards matter less once a fighter closes the show himself.
Ball entered with multiple defenses and carried Britain’s lone male championship presence with that track record. It disappeared in three minutes. Unification routes that once circled his name now pass elsewhere.
Before the last round, Ball’s corner delivered the reminder every fighter hears.
“Championship rounds. This is your territory now.”
Figueroa thought otherwise and fought like a man who knew the belt was within reach.
He now stands as a three-division champion, comfortable fighting at a hard pace and willing to work the body until resistance fades. Bruce Carrington, Angelo Leo, and Rafael Espinoza still hold belts, yet talks now run through a Texan who gives little ground.
Ball leaves with his first defeat and decisions to make. A return fight may surface, though champions who score late removals rarely hurry back into the same fire.
Expect Figueroa to keep the jab active, press forward, and welcome whoever holds the remaining straps. Featherweight favors fighters who punch in bunches and stay set when it gets rough. On this night, that man was Figueroa.