Nick Ball and Sam Goodman are two excellent fighters, and on the undercard of the Moses Itauma vs. Dillian Whyte event they delivered a true battle for the WBA featherweight belt, held by England’s Ball, who is currently the only reigning male British world champion in professional boxing.
It was Nick Ball who prevailed, winning the contest by unanimous decision after 12 rounds of high-paced action. In the opinion of this writer, the result was fair, though not with the wide margins given by two of the judges: the scorecards sparked some controversy after the fight for being too lopsided.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the two men showcased excellent boxing, albeit with almost opposite styles, reflecting their contrasting physical attributes. The 28-year-old Ball is a stocky fighter but unusually short for the division, standing at just 5’2” (157 cm). Goodman, 26, is much taller and more slender, with his 5’6½” (169 cm) frame giving him a clear reach advantage.
Ball, from Liverpool, brought an aggressive style to the ring, relying on quick short-range combinations, upper-body movement, and a sharp jab he knows how to use effectively despite his limited reach, thanks to excellent timing. The Australian Goodman, on the other hand, displayed superb footwork, constantly moving and ready to dart in and out of range. He favors mid-to-long distance, where he can rely on his crisp straight punches. His jab is particularly effective, delivered with speed and accuracy, while his left hand to the body, thrown consistently, earned him respect even at close quarters.
From the opening bell it was clear Ball would take on the role of aggressor, while Goodman looked to manage distance, firing his jab and right hand with greater frequency. Ball immediately tried to slip through the Australian’s defensive shots and unleash his own combinations, the most effective of which throughout the fight was the left uppercut followed by a right hook.
Goodman was the more composed, Ball the more explosive and varied, though the Englishman had to constantly overcome a significant reach disadvantage. He repeatedly used the left uppercut on the inside, mixing it up with effective body shots. But Goodman also showed good punch variety. In addition to his jab and straight right, his consistent left to the body troubled Ball, who found himself facing a far from compliant opponent even at short range.
The bout swung back and forth, with neither fighter possessing one-punch knockout power but both proving their durability and toughness. After an aggressive opening round by Ball, Goodman was able to establish his jab, and it took Ball a couple of rounds to adjust and deal with the Australian’s best weapon. From the fourth round onward, the Englishman began to land the left uppercut–right hook combination consistently, often putting Goodman under pressure. Ball’s jab is also an effective weapon, though he used it more sparingly due to his height disadvantage.
Highly mobile and well balanced on his feet, Goodman held his own throughout the fight. Many rounds were extremely close, especially in the middle portion, as the two traded furiously: Goodman more consistent, Ball more eye-catching, particularly with his counter-combinations.
The final round, fought at a furious pace, saw Goodman start aggressively, landing excellent jab–right–hook combinations that had Ball in visible trouble. But the Englishman responded by closing the distance and letting go with hooks and uppercuts in succession.
The crowd gave both fighters a deserved ovation at the final bell, having witnessed a true battle filled with sharp punches and great intensity.
When the scorecards were read, Ball was declared the winner by unanimous decision: 117-111, 118-110, and 115-113. In the opinion of this writer, the first two scorecards do not reflect the actual flow of the fight. While I, too, would have awarded Ball the victory, 117-111 and 118-110 are scores that fail to describe a contest that featured many momentum shifts and several razor-close rounds. Goodman gave the champion plenty of problems and showed excellent boxing, proving himself worthy of the challenge.