DOUBLE JEOPARDY
Nick Ball on the attack against former titleholder TJ Doheny.
Well, the educated pressure fighter from Liverpool has had the last laugh. In 2024, Ball faced arguably the two best featherweights in the world, back- to-back – Rey Vargas and Ray Ford – and despite coming away 1-0-1, most onlookers felt that he should have prevailed in both bouts. Vargas escaped with a controversial draw and his WBC title, while Ford surrendered the WBA strap to Ball in what was the American’s maiden defense. The secret is out on Ball. He’s a beast of a featherweight, a no-nonsense warrior, and if he crosses swords with Inoue, then the Japanese superstar will have his work cut out for him. “Most of the people Inoue has boxed have, quite rightly, been respectful of him and stood off,” said Ball’s trainer, Paul Stevenson. “They’ve given him all the respect in the world. Nick never gives anyone that respect. He does what he does and is thinking about himself and no one else. Will Inoue have seen someone take it to him in that way?
126. “That’s not me being disrespectful, I love Inoue, but I just think Ball’s style, his tenacity, his ferocity and how strong and fit he is would be the difference in that fight. “Again, I’m not bashing a great like Inoue. What he’s done has been absolutely incredible. He’s one of my favorite fighters to watch at the moment. But there is a ceiling for the smaller guys going up through the divisions. Nick Ball is a hard night’s work.” Ball will likely make another defense of his title before the end of the year. If the chance to face Inoue arises, then you won’t need to ask him twice. RAFAEL ESPINOZA Record: 27-0 (23 KOs) Status: WBO featherweight titleholder/The Ring No. 1 at 126 pounds When Rafael Espinoza challenged then-WBO titleholder Robeisy Ramirez in December 2023, he was a significant underdog despite his overwhelming physical advantages. “A 6-foot-1 featherweight? It’s
in a Fight of the Year contender. In the rematch, he came from behind to score a sixth-round TKO. However, despite Espinoza’s size and obvious quality, not everyone is convinced. “Espinoza hasn’t boxed at the level that Inoue has,” offered Gallagher. “When it comes to the big stage, big atmosphere, big ring walks, you don’t know how a fighter will perform. Inoue has been there; he’d be calm. There’s the possibility of a Donald Curry-Milton McCrory type of thing – slip inside, left hook, or slip inside, right hand.” In the final fight of his illustrious career, Frampton faced a 5-foot-10 Jamel Herring for the WBO junior lightweight title. Past his best and dwarfed by his southpaw opponent, the Belfast star had very little success and succumbed to a sixth-round stoppage. As a result, the former champ knows all too well how problematic larger opponents can be. “It's almost to the point where, never
“And also, Nick isn’t just walking in. There’s a level of intellect to what Nick’s doing. You don’t just walk in against Vargas and Ray Ford. You don’t walk into those people without getting your head taken clean off unless you’ve got something special.” Since his world title triumph against Ford, Ball has vanquished Ronny Rios and T.J. Doheny inside the distance. Neither man could
mind weight divisions, there should be height divisions,” laughed Frampton. “A 6-foot- 1 featherweight? It’s insane, but Espinoza makes the weight, so fair play to him. “Inoue certainly has the boxing I.Q. and the acumen to be able to deal with someone like [Espinoza], but it’s just going to get harder. We’ve seen at [junior featherweight] he’s been hurt and on his backside.”
“ Nick never gives anyone that respect. He does what he does and is thinking about himself and no one else.” - Paul Stevenson
insane, but Espinoza makes the weight, so fair play to him.”
cope with the relentless pressure-packed style of the diminutive but bull-like WBA titleholder, who punished them both mercilessly. Granted, Inoue is a completely different proposition, but Stevenson isn’t the only one who believes his man has the tools to take down the pound-for- pound great. “I made a statement after one of Nick Ball’s title defenses that I’d make him the favorite if Inoue comes up to featherweight,” said Carl Frampton, who unified at 122 and won a title at
“El Divino” (The Divine) is a 6-foot- 1 featherweight with a 74-inch reach, which are record-breaking numbers for a titleholder in this weight class. For comparison purposes, the Mexican star’s dimensions are larger than those of reigning light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, who is 6-feet tall with a wingspan of 72 inches. But while Espinoza’s stats are terrifying, he can also fight. In the first encounter with Ramirez, the 31-year- old volume puncher got off the floor to drop and outpoint the Cuban lefty
Espinoza called out The Monster as a future opponent after disposing of Edward Vazquez on the Inoue-Cardenas undercard in May. It’s doubtful that he’s next up, but, like Ball, this skyscraper Mexican would take the opportunity with both hands. WHO’S NEXT? If Inoue were to aim for the triple undisputed target, then, as things stand, he would have to deal with two other world titleholders.
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