Boxing
Brandon Figueroa dethrones Nick Ball by knockout in the 12th round
Published
3 months agoon
A year after losing his world featherweight title, Brandon Figueroa won another title, defeating Nick Ball via a dramatic 12th-round stoppage on Saturday.
The Mexican-American known as “The Heartbreaker” silenced Ball’s home crowd at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England, stopping him in the final round to win the WBA featherweight world title.
Ball lost his belt in his fourth defense after a hard-fought fight with two-time world champion Figueroa that got to the boil early in the final round.
Figueroa (27-2-1, 20 KO) sent Ball (23-1-1, 13 KO) to the canvas with a sweeping left hook, then continued the pressure to seal the TKO victory 32 seconds into Round 12, with Ball hanging on the ropes after a flurry of punches.
“I felt like I was dominating. I caught him with a brief left hook and then I went out and finished the game,” Figueroa, who was ahead on two of the judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage, told DAZN.
“I was away from my family for three months. I came here 10 days before the fight and our game plan worked, and I’m very grateful to my coach Manny Robles for that.
“I want to fight in front of my own fans and I want to unite.”
The victory prepares 29-year-old Figueroa for a world title unification fight against one of the other world champions: Rafael Espinoza (WBO), Bruce Carrington (WBC) and Angelo Leo (IBF).
Since winning the WBA belt via split decision over Raymond Ford in June 2024, Ball has been one of the best at 126 pounds, but he spent most of Saturday’s fight on his back with Figueroa.
Just what Figueroa, of Weslaco, Texas, needed. A year ago, he lost the WBC featherweight title to Stephen Fulton on points in a rematch, after also losing to his compatriot in the fight for the unification of the junior featherweight world title in 2021.
At 5-foot-2, Ball was 7 inches shorter than his opponent, but Ball had no trouble throwing punches early.
Ball (28) made an immediate impression when he pierced Figueroa’s wing with a right uppercut in the first round. As Figueroa stepped forward later in the first, Ball landed more uppercuts and his quick combinations were on target again in Round 2.
Figueroa had more success in the third quarter, especially to the body, and outscored Ball in the fourth with substantial shots.
Ball hit some nice shots overdue in the fifth round, including a looping right hand, and he was also the busier fighter in round 6. As Figueroa’s efficiency dropped, Ball took advantage, landing screwball shots and a reliable seventh-inning strike.
Despite his reach and height advantage, Figueroa fought at close range at times, a strategy Ball welcomed in some of the later rounds. Figueroa increased his punch count in round 9, but was caught on the counter several times in round 10.
Perhaps feeling he needed a good finish after a close fight, Ball fired back in the final round but was taken down by Figueroa’s huge left hook.
Ball was left face down on the canvas, but only got back up after Figueroa sent him through the ropes with a flurry of punches. Referee Steve Gray then stopped the fight with the ball hanging over the ropes.
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Boxing
World champion claims Conor Benn pulled out of fight after ‘setting up the whole deal’
Published
2 hours agoon
April 25, 2026
Conor Benn could be ready for a world title fight against Ryan Garcia, but there is one reigning world champion who claims the Briton recently pulled out of a title shot even though “the whole deal has already been done.”
Benn made his Zuffa Boxing debut earlier this month. defeating Regis Prograis in a 150-pound catchweight bout – his first fight at sub-154 pounds in four years – and now he looks ready to fight for world titles at welterweight.
Although his position as mandatory challenger for the WBC title put him in line to face Garcia, WBA 147-pound champion Rolando Romero claimed that Benn had withdrawn from the title fight.
I’m talking to Fighting Hub TV“Rolly” explained why he doubted the Garcia fight would happen and revealed that he expected to fight Benn until “The Destroyer” changed his mind.
“Conor Benn waived me, we had the whole deal done, we were supposed to fight on May 30 in Fresh York for my world title, and then he just disappeared out of nowhere.
Conor Benn was there begging to fight me. By the way, we already had everything planned, but he’s in Fresh York trying to create all this fuss and stuff – he did it for advantage. Same with this, he can do this with Ryan too to gain strength.
“They’re out there trying to do all this stuff, I don’t do this imitation beef. That throws me off, you go and do all this imitation beef and then you come here and act like a gigantic, tough guy and then you run away and don’t fight.”
“Maybe he was doing it with Ryan because Ryan would have knocked him out cool.”
Garcia and Benn could collide this summer in Las Vegas when Benn returns to the welterweight division in a direct world title fight.
Boxing
Jermell Charlo picks Tim Tszyu to defeat Errol Spence Jr
Published
4 hours agoon
April 25, 2026
Charlo then launched into a longer explanation, questioning what version of Spence would emerge after his years outside the ring and claiming that style favored Tszyu.
“He has little defense. Errol will come in softly. He doesn’t really move his head. Tim moves his head. He throws a few stone hay shots. “I just follow my fighting style and be realistic.”
Jermell looked like a war veteran and described the fight, giving reasons why he chose Tszyu to beat Spence.
For years, these two towers were the “Twin Towers” of Derrick James’ gym in Dallas. They shared celebrations, sweat and secrets. The problem is that Errol was very vocal about these sessions, essentially telling the world that he was “teaching” Jermell.
For a guy like Charlo, who carries enormous pride and has built his “Lions Only” brand on being the alpha, having a former teammate claim dominance over him is a stain he can’t wash off in a sanctioned fight.
Having never fought professionally, these gym stories are the only narrative that exists and you have to wonder if it’s still eating at him.
Charlo also indicated the location, with the fight expected to take place in Australia.
“He’s going to Australia there. I see Tim Tszyu winning that fight,” Jermell said.
X is having a field day because Charlo looks like a man who sat in a dim room and watched Spence’s training videos over and over again. Fans call this the “villain arc” energy. He spoke quickly, louder and louder, and seemed personally interested in the answer.
During the prophecy, Jermell had a diabolical look in his eyes, as if he were performing a technical exorcism on his elderly rival.
When he has such wide eyes and high energy intensity, he tends to rely on his “Only Lions” personality, which thrives on perceived disrespect. In this case, the disrespect is the years in which Errol Spence Jr. he claimed to be the “substantial brother” at the gym.
“I don’t have to fight Errol Spence and I don’t care about fighting Errol Spence,” Jermell said.
Jermell is essentially using Tim Tszyu as a proxy. Since Charlo hasn’t fought at 154 pounds since 2022, he needs Spence to lose to someone else to prove that the elderly era (the Derrick James era) is over. If Tszyu destroys Spence, it will validate Charlo’s technical criticism and make his inactivity look like a calculated move rather than a decline.
Chris Williams is a senior writer for Boxing News 24covering sports since 2013 and reporting on major events around the world. His relationships range from established champions to hungry prospects vying for recognition. Over the years, Chris has worked with many of boxing’s top brass, earning respect for his insightful analysis and insider perspective.
Boxing
Roy Jones Jr sums up Tyson Fury’s chances of beating top-ranked Lennox Lewis
Published
6 hours agoon
April 25, 2026
Britain has produced some great heavyweights in recent years, ending an almost century-long curse and seeing success in the division ever since. Predicting the outcome of the clash between two of the best fighters in the country, Lennox Lewis and Tyson Fury, Roy Jones Jr said it would be a “great fight”.
Bob Fitzsimmons became the first British world heavyweight champion in 1897, and he and Jones remain the only two fighters in boxing history to have won both middleweight and heavyweight world titles.
However, Great Britain struggled for success in the division after the Fitzsimmons fight, unable to claim heavyweight supremacy until Lennox Lewis became WBC world champion in 1992. Britain has since crowned its title 11th world heavyweight championFabio Wardley, who follows in the footsteps of Fury and Anthony Joshua.
In an interview with Grosvenor CasinoJones said he would give Lewis an advantage over the “Gypsy King” if they met in their prime.
“Tyson Fury vs. Lennox Lewis? That would be a great fight, but my first thought was Lennox Lewis because of his power. But my second thought was also that Tyson Fury was great at making adjustments. I would go with Lennox Lewis.”
At least one heavyweight world title is expected to remain in a Briton’s hands for some time, with Daniel Dubois scheduled to face another Briton, Fabio Wardley, for the WBO belt next month.
In the meantime, we hope 21-year-old Moses Itauma can continue Britain’s success for many years to come, with the youngster considered by many to be the hottest prospect in boxing.
As for Fury, he is focused on the UK-wide megafight with Joshua – their own ‘Battle of Britain’ after Lennox fought Frank Bruno in 1993.
World champion claims Conor Benn pulled out of fight after ‘setting up the whole deal’
Jermell Charlo picks Tim Tszyu to defeat Errol Spence Jr
Roy Jones Jr sums up Tyson Fury’s chances of beating top-ranked Lennox Lewis
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