Brandon Figueroa did not win this fight on the scorecards. He took it away from Nick Ball at the very end, ripping the WBA featherweight title out of what looked like a closing home-town celebration and turning it into one of the sharpest late finishes the division has seen in years.
For most of the night, Ball boxed like a champion who understood the margins. He met pressure with short uppercuts, worked inside without panic, and had long stretches where his timing kept Figueroa honest. By the late rounds, many in the building believed Ball was doing enough to protect the belt, especially after a strong ninth round where he caught Figueroa clean while backed against the ropes. The fight was physical, crowded, and unforgiving, but Ball appeared to be navigating it with control rather than desperation.
Figueroa stayed with him anyway. The former two-division champion kept digging to the body, kept stepping forward, and never let the pace settle into something comfortable. His best work came when the exchanges dragged on and Ball had less space to reset, particularly in the eighth and again in the championship rounds. Even then, it felt like a fight that might slip away on points rather than break open.
Everything changed in the twelfth. Figueroa landed a sudden, crushing shot that dropped Ball hard, then followed with another knockdown that ended the night. Ball was left draped over the ropes, stunned, suffering the first loss of his professional career. What had been shaping up as a narrow decision instantly became a stoppage that will be replayed for years, not because it was wild, but because of how cleanly and decisively it arrived.
Figueroa leaves England with the WBA belt and one of the strongest statements of his career. Ball leaves with his reputation intact but his unbeaten record gone, undone by a challenger who refused to let the fight be decided safely. The swing from likely decision to definitive knockout was brutal, sudden, and impossible to explain away.
Fight details:
Brandon Figueroa defeated Nick Ball by knockout in the 12th round to win the WBA featherweight title. The fight took place at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool on February 7, 2026.
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Last Updated on 02/07/2026
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