The M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool was a cauldron of anticipation on February 7, 2026, as hometown hero Nick Ball took center stage for the fourth defense of his WBA featherweight world title. The arena, packed with 7,500 passionate fans, buzzed with energy as Ball, one of the shortest world champions in boxing history at 5ft 2in, prepared to face the formidable American challenger Brandon Figueroa. What unfolded was a night of drama, grit, and ultimately heartbreak for the Liverpool faithful, as Figueroa delivered a stunning twelfth-round stoppage to claim the belt and etch his name in the annals of boxing history as a three-weight world champion.
Nick Ball’s journey to this moment had been nothing short of remarkable. Standing well below the average height for a featherweight, Ball had defied expectations throughout his career, notching up 24 unbeaten fights with one draw and earning a reputation as a relentless pressure fighter. His ability to overcome size disadvantages drew comparisons to legendary undersized champions like Joe Frazier, Rocky Marciano, and Dwight Qawi. Ball’s fan-friendly, aggressive style had made him a darling of British boxing, and his string of four successful title defenses set the stage for what many hoped would be a springboard to lucrative unification bouts or even a super-fight with Japan’s pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue.
But on this night, Ball met his match in Figueroa, a 5ft 9in Texan known for his relentless punch output and the fitting nickname ‘Heartbreaker.’ Figueroa, entering his 30th professional bout, was no stranger to the big stage, already a two-division champion seeking to make history by capturing a third world title. The fight was billed as ‘A Tall Order,’ and with a seven-inch height advantage, Figueroa seemed to embody the challenge Ball had grown accustomed to—and thrived on—throughout his career.
From the opening bell, the contest lived up to its billing. Ball wasted no time, launching sharp uppercuts and left hooks on the inside, wobbling Figueroa in the first 90 seconds and drawing blood from the American’s nose. The Liverpudlian’s strategy, devised with trainer Paul Stevenson, was clear: get inside the rangy Figueroa’s long levers and land with authority. Figueroa, true to form, responded with volume, throwing a staggering 204 punches in the first three rounds compared to Ball’s 145. The Texan’s body work began to tell, but Ball’s footwork and defensive savvy allowed him to edge several early rounds, much to the delight of the partisan crowd.
As the middle rounds unfolded, the fight settled into a gripping rhythm. Ball continued to land crisp counters and uppercuts, while Figueroa pressed forward, his output never waning. By the halfway mark, Ball’s nose was bleeding and his mouth reddened, but he showed no signs of wilting. In the eighth round, Ball unleashed a blistering flurry that had Figueroa wincing, but the American smiled through the pain and fired back, targeting Ball’s body. The rounds were tight, with judges divided on whether to favor Ball’s quality or Figueroa’s quantity. The tension in the arena was palpable, and as Ball’s corner reminded him, “Championship rounds. This is your territory now.”
Entering the final two rounds, the outcome was still very much in the balance. Ball, ever the warrior, rallied with sharp uppercuts and hooks, while Figueroa’s relentless pressure kept the champion on his toes. The crowd, so boisterous at the start, grew quiet and pensive, sensing the gravity of the moment. Then, in a flash, everything changed. Seconds into the twelfth round, Figueroa landed a flush straight left that sent Ball crashing to the canvas. The champion, showing immense heart, beat the count at nine but was visibly unsteady. Figueroa, smelling blood, pounced with a left-right-left combination that forced referee Steve Gray to wave off the contest, ending Ball’s reign in dramatic fashion.
The aftermath was chaotic. As Figueroa celebrated, objects and beer rained down from the stands, and a brief altercation broke out between members of the two camps—Andrew Cain, a member of Ball’s team, appeared to kick one of Figueroa’s cornermen. Cooler heads prevailed, but the raw emotion in the arena was unmistakable. Ball, devastated by the first defeat of his professional career, left the ring without giving a post-fight interview, his dreams of unification and further glory dashed for the time being.
For Figueroa, the victory was the crowning achievement of an already stellar career. Throwing a remarkable 757 punches to Ball’s 567, the Texan’s work rate and durability proved decisive. The scorecards at the time of the stoppage revealed Figueroa was ahead on two of three cards, but it was the emphatic nature of the finish that truly set his performance apart. Speaking to the crowd, Figueroa offered an apology for the exuberant celebrations, stating, “I’m sorry [for the celebration], we didn’t mean anything, we were just excited. Sorry about that. Big shout out to Nick Ball, he is a great Liverpool champion and one of the best England have ever had. I have nothing but respect for him.”
Ball’s defeat brings an end to a positive run for British boxing on the global stage, following world title triumphs by Dalton Smith and Josh Kelly earlier in the year. As the only reigning male world champion from Britain to have defended his title, Ball’s loss was a bitter pill for fans and a setback for his own ambitions. Yet, as history has shown with other undersized champions, resilience and adaptation often define greatness. Ball’s options now include seeking an immediate rematch, pursuing another world title shot, or perhaps taking time to regroup and rebuild. With champions like Bruce Carrington (WBC), Angelo Leo (IBF), and Rafael Espinoza (WBO) holding the other belts in the division, Ball’s path back to the top is challenging but far from closed.
The night also featured a packed undercard, with victories for Jack Turner, Andrew Cain, Hasan Ishaq, and others, but it was the main event that captured the imagination of fight fans worldwide. For Ball, the challenge is now mental as much as physical—how he responds to this adversity will shape the next chapter of his career. As for Figueroa, his legacy as a three-weight world champion is secure, and new opportunities surely beckon on both sides of the Atlantic.
As the dust settles on a dramatic night in Liverpool, the boxing world is left to ponder what’s next for both warriors. For now, Brandon Figueroa stands tall—literally and figuratively—while Nick Ball, ever the battler, must find a way to rise again.