It’s going to be hard for him to match him if he throws over 100 punches per round, as he has in his recent fights. What makes former two-time super bantamweight champion Figueroa so good is his non-stop striking. He throws over 1,000 punches per fight, making it difficult for his opponents to match him.
“I know Nick Ball is coming to fight. So, I’m willing to fight as many punches as I can. I want to take that belt back home, and I’m going to do everything in my power to do that,” Brandon Figueroa said today at the kick off press conference for his fight against Nick Ball in February.
The 5’2′ Ball’s style of fighting is to enter his opponents close, sloppy and rough. He tries to stay close because he doesn’t have the height to fight on the outside. He struggled with the height of the WBC 126-lb champion, 5’10” Rey Vargas, last year. Figueroa, at 5’9″, is almost as tall as Rey. If he prevents Ball from getting close, it could be a one-sided fight.
Ball may not use as much of his physical style against Figueroa because he is not the type to pin down his opponents. This is what frustrated Nick in his fight against Vargas. He was held up a lot, so he wrestled and wrestled a lot in response.
In one instance, Ball was credited with a knockdown after he pushed Vargas off balance and then punched him. That blown call saved Ball from losing the fight. It was a 12-round draw.
“It depends on how he rides the storm, but I’m coming with everything. That’s my strategy, and so far it’s worked for me. I’m an exciting fighter, and I bring excitement,” Figueroa said.
Ball has never shown the ability to throw 1000 strikes in a fight in his career. Its output is often in the 600 punch range. That means he could be bumped by Figueroa by a large margin if he fails to knock him out. That could be a factor in the fight if Ball fails to drop Figueroa or stop him. Of course, with the fight being staged in Ball’s hometown of Liverpool, England, one cannot rule out controversy.
“There’s a lot more to my game than just pressure. It’s smart boxing with pressure,” Ball said.
Pressure is essentially the biggest part of Ball’s game. He always presses because he doesn’t have the arm reach or height to fight on the outside, especially against taller fighters. If he doesn’t push Figueroa, it’s going to be a long night for him.
