Nick Ball is looking to use his Mike Tyson-inspired style to get the better of TJ Doheny - as he also laid out what needs to happen for him to fight Naoya Inoue. The 28-year-old Scouser from Kirkby is the overriding favourite to defend his WBA featherweight title against Doheny at the M&S Bank Arena tonight.
Tensions boiled over at Friday’s weigh-in when the two fighters faced off, with Doheny needing to return to the scales after he initially missed weight. However, the Irishman returned weighing in at 126lbs within one hour of the weigh-in taking place, meaning the world title fight will go ahead as planned.
While talk of a possible showdown with Inoue dominated Thursday’s press conference, with Doheny having been stopped by the undisputed super-bantamweight champion last year. But speaking ahead of tonight’s fight, Ball admits he wants to replicate Tyson's fierce, forward-moving approach in his bid to move to 22-0.
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“It’s mainly former greats we watch, like Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Leonard, Larry Holmes, and Thomas Hearns,” he revealed when asked about what fighters he likes to watch.
Pushed on which great he likes most and what style he wishes to replicate, Ball replied: “Roberto Duran and Mike Tyson. Proper fighters.”
Tonight is not only a big night for Ball, but it will also be a huge night for Paul Stevenson and his Everton Red Triangle stable. As well as Ball, Stevenson will also have Andrew Cain, Brad Strand and Lucas Biswana in action.
“He’s one of the best coaches in the game,” Ball replied when asked about his trainer. “The work they do remains unseen; it is only what comes out on fight night that gets seen.
“But the work that they put in, that is why we are where we are. The proof is in the pudding with me.
“He doesn’t care about all that. He just cares about business and getting us to where we should be. We are a team.
“I’m doing it for the gym, the people that have helped me. Making them proud is all that matters to me.”
Speaking on Thursday, Doheny hit out at the 'numpties' who are overlooking him for tonight’s fight, but Ball is certainly not one of them. He said: “He’s got something definitely. He’s coming to try to take the belt, take something.
“I’ve worked hard for it, and I’m not going to let him. That is his challenge. I have to be ready for war and on my game.”
It was confirmed on Thursday evening that Inoue will defend his undisputed super-bantamweight title against Ramon Cardenas on 4 May at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. And asked about facing the Japanese superstar later this year, Ball replied: “It shows how exciting my style is that people are talking about me fighting him.
“People think I’m the man to beat him, which tells you all you need to know about me and what people think of me. But it is all irrelevant until he moves up to featherweight.”
Ahead of tonight’s main event, Cain will put his British and Commonwealth bantamweight champion titles on the line against European champion Charlie Edwards. Strand will be taking on Ionut Baluta for the vacant WBO European super-bantamweight title and Jack Turner and Ryan Farrag will face-off in an all Liverpool affair.
Ste Clarke will also make his return to the ring when he takes on Dmitri Protkunas and Lucas Biswana faces Ezequiel Gregores in his second professional fight.
