Nick Ball vs Luis Nery is being targeted for August 16th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to IFL TV.
Liverpool’s Nick Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs) was last in action in March this year, forcing tough Irishman TJ Doheny to retire after 10 brutal rounds in a defence of his WBA world featherweight strap in his home city.
The 28-year-old Merseysider has successfully defended his black and gold belt twice and just recently celebrated the anniversary of becoming world champion on June 1st.
Trained by Paul Stevenson at the Everton Red Triangle, the ambitious Ball is eager to unify at 126 lbs and has been very vocal in calling for a showdown with undisputed super-bantamweight ruler Naoya Inoue, who currently holds all the marbles at 122.
Mexican two-weight world champion Luis Nery (36-2, 28 KOs) has also fought this year, in February, when he knocked out Japan’s Kyonosuke Kameda in seven rounds in his native country. Known for his punching power, a KO in his featherweight debut suggests his strength has followed him up the weights.
Now 30-years-old, “Pantera” is looking to become a world champion again, after losing his WBC super-bantamweight title to Brandon Figueroa back in 2021 and failing to regain it in May 2024 against “The Monster” Inoue.
Nery dropped Inoue in the opening round of their undisputed super-bantamweight showdown in the Tokyo Dome, Japan, but was dropped himself and stopped midway through the sixth by the Japanese superstar.
Briton Ball will be looking to make a statement against the southpaw from Tijuana to force the fight with Inoue, which has been mooted for early 2025, providing the each keep on winning.
Nery is tricky, skilled and powerful, but Ball spars with southpaws every single week in his talent-packed gym, which also houses Olympian Peter McGrail, Andrew Cain and Brad Strand.
Ball has been signed to Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions for a number of years and Luis Nery would potentially be his toughest opponent yet, after winning the title from Raymond Ford, then defending to ageing Ronny Rios and TJ Doheny.
Nery became the first person to ever knock down the four-weight world champion Inoue, so has every chance of winning against the aggressive pressure-fighter from the UK.
It would be a fight worthy of a main event, with Ball all-action and Nery so quick and explosive, one or both guaranteed to go down at some point in the fight, but initially it was suggested for the Devin Haney vs Teofimo Lopez event, which is still in doubt.
Regardless of Haney-Lopez happening, Ball-Nery appears to be full steam ahead for August 16th in Saudi Arabia, live on DAZN.
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