Among boxing enthusiasts, Nick Ball is frequently hailed as one of the sport’s most electrifying figures right now. This undefeated WBA featherweight champion has an ever-growing fanbase eager to see him take on Naoya Inoue, the Japanese phenom and highly ranked pound-for-pound fighter.
Though Inoue hasn’t yet stepped into the 126-pound division, there’s a swelling belief that Ball, with his fierce aggression, relentless offensive style, and knockout power, might just be the one to hand “The Monster” his first defeat.
Today, Ball brought his trademark focus to an interview with Talk Sport. The Liverpool native expressed a strong desire to unify the featherweight titles and didn’t shy away from the topic of a potential clash with Inoue.
He mentioned that his immediate target is a unification bout against Stephen Fulton. Fans will recall that Fulton previously fought Inoue and was stopped; however, he’s now back in prime form at featherweight. Ball insists he’ll be ready for Inoue whenever the opportunity presents itself.
When asked if he thinks he can conquer Inoue now, the 28-year-old, boasting a record of 22-0-1 with 13 KOs, was confident. “Yeah, course I can,” Ball declared. “Why would I say no? Obviously, I have faith in my own abilities. I’ve noticed some vulnerabilities in his past fights—he’s even been hurt and dropped by less formidable opponents. Most fighters step into the ring with too much reverence for him, immediately pulling back. That’s not my style. I’d come in with the intention of putting him on the defensive. I’d undoubtedly be stronger and fitter than him, so there’s no reason I couldn’t do it. But talking is one thing; we’ll see when it actually goes down.”
With the buzz around this potential fight growing louder, fans are left wondering: if Ball maintains his unbeaten streak and if Inoue stays undefeated before moving up to featherweight, just how explosive would this collision be? Is featherweight a step too far for Inoue, especially when up against a powerhouse like “The Wrecking Ball”? Only time will tell.
