Nick Ball had to dig deep in a third defence of his WBA world featherweight title in a unanimous points decision win over Sam Goodman.
Ball, Britain’s only reigning men’s world boxing champion, landed more power shots and outpunched Goodman, but the Australian’s jab and movement earned him a share of the rounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Five-foot-two Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs), 28, from Liverpool in England, earned scores of 117-111, 118-110 and 115-113. The fight seemed closer than two of the judges saw it.
After winning the WBA belt with a split decision over Raymond Ford in June 2024, Ball won both previous defences inside the distance, but Goodman proved a tougher assignment with his smart boxing.
“It was good but it was not the best performance. But I got the job done. I got into it a bit too much,” Ball said.
“I want to keep improving and fighting the big names.”
The ideal next opponents for Ball would be WBO champion Rafael Espinoza to decide the best at 126 pounds, or even a dream fight vs. Naoya Inoue, the undisputed junior featherweight champion and one of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighters.
Goodman (20-0, 8 KOs), 26, from New South Wales in Australia, performed admirably after stepping up a division to take on Ball and had fought just once previously in the last year due to cuts.
Ball did not take long to get into his stride and he landed a sharp right hook late in the opening but Goodman settled into the fight and by the fourth round he was limiting Ball’s attacks behind his jab. Both traded hooks at the end of Round 4, but in Round 5 Ball landed a big right hand that staggered Goodman.
The heavier shots came from Ball, but Goodman was effective in spells with his jab and movement. Some of the rounds swayed one way and then the other, as Goodman kept firing back to prevent Ball from dominating.
Ball landed a thudding right uppercut in Round 9 and more good shots in the 10th, and the Liverpool boxer was busier in Round 11. Goodman’s movement in and out of range was less evident in the later rounds, which allowed Ball to land more. However, in the last round, both let their hands go in a slugfest as both went for the KO.
Ford marches on at junior lightweight
Former WBA featherweight champion Ford (18-1-1, 8 KOs), 26, from New Jersey, recorded his third win at junior lightweight since losing the belt to Ball when he unanimously outpointed Abraham Nova (24-4-1, 17 KOs) in a classy performance.
Ford, whose movement was too slick for Nova, won by scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 97-93 in a 10-round non-title bout.
Puerto Rico-born, New York-raised Nova, 31, applied some good pressure in Round 3, but Ford produced some quality shots while backed up on the ropes in Round 4. By Round 5, Ford was unloading regular combinations and a left hook to the jaw shook Nova in the sixth.
Ford is top five with all four world governing bodies and his array of punches, tight defence on the back foot and ring IQ will give all of the world champions problems.
Hrgovic shrugs off cut to outpoint Adeleye
Filip Hrgovic (19-1, 14 KOs), who lost out on a IBF world title shot when he was stopped by Daniel Dubois in June last year, overcame an early cut to outwork and outpoint David Adeleye (14-2-1, 13 KOs).
Hrgovic sent Adeleye to the canvas before looking dazed himself in a tumultuous Round 8 as the Croatian triumphed by unanimous scores of 98-91, 99-90, 99-90.
It wasn’t straightforward for Hrgovic. Adeleye opened up a gruesome cut on Hrgovic’s right eyelid with a left hand in Round 2 and the Londoner then landed a big left hook in the third which the Croatian did well to shrug off.
Hrgovic’s trainer Abel Sanchez did a crucial job on the cut which allowed Hrgovic to claw his way back into the fight in Rounds 4 and 5.
By the sixth, Hrgovic was well in control but both had their moments in a thrilling eighth. Hrgovic turned Adeleye’s legs to jelly with a stiff right hand early in the Round 8, and then dropped Adeleye with a right to the temple. After taking a count, Adeleye came out swinging and Hrgovic was left wobbling around the ring following a furious burst of hooks.
Hrgovic regained control and his accuracy, as well as punch output, ensured the decision was never in doubt.
