Ball planning for Inoue superfight after Doheny title defence

Nick Ball forced TJ Doheny out of their world title fight after 10 rounds to retain the WBA featherweight world championship.

Their first round at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool ended bizarrely, with Doheny grabbing the champion in a headlock before Ball, frustrated, kicked his opponent in the leg, sending Doheny tumbling over.

He escaped sanction then but was docked a point in the ninth round for throwing Doheny over.

It was the concentrated power of Ball’s punching that made the difference, ultimately.

Doheny is an experienced operator, a former world champion in the division below who fought undisputed champion Naoya Inoue in his last fight, and he created problems for Ball in the early going of the fight.

A southpaw, he moved deftly and picked moments to catch out Ball with shots of his own.

But boxing in his hometown, Ball would not be denied. Shrugging off frustrations, he ground down Doheny.

The Irishman’s right eye was swelling as Ball set about him in the ninth round. Flagging, Doheny couldn’t keep him off.

Ball continued a front-foot assault in the 10th round. Doheny, after battling just to stay upright, was pulled out by his own corner after that round.

One of the in form fighters on the British boxing scene, Ball had a stellar 2024, unfortunate to draw to Rey Vargas in a WBC title fight but winning the WBA belt when he beat Raymond Ford.

“I’ve got to be switched on and take my time,” Ball told TNT Sports afterwards. “They want to see all action, but obviously I can box and do that, so I’ve shown both now.

“I felt him getting tired with the pace I was setting. So, it all played out good.”

The Liverpudlian is hoping the Japanese superstar Inoue, the undisputed super-bantamweight world champion, moves up to featherweight so he can snare that fight.

Promoter Frank Warren told TNT Sports: “If that happens, it will be towards the end of the year, or maybe early next year, but that’s the plan. He’s not going to wait till then, he’ll still want to fight. Our job is to keep him busy and keep bringing him back here.

“We’re in Liverpool, everybody’s come out for this. They’ve been a marvellous crowd,” he added. “We’re going to keep coming back for your champion.”

Naoya Inoue returns to action on May 5 against Ramon Cardenas live on Sky Sports