Newly minted WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball will defend his crown against American veteran Ronny Rios in a homecoming affair Saturday, October 5, at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England. The 12-round bout, plus undercard action, will be broadcast by ESPN+ in the U.S.
WATCH: Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios, exclusively on ESPN+
Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) won the title in June by scoring a thrilling points triumph over previously unbeaten American Raymond Ford. It was a close fight on the 5v5 Queensberry vs. Matchroom card in Riyadh, but the judges favored Ball’s aggression and harder hitting over Ford’s technical finesse.
“I literally cannot wait to fight in Liverpool again, this time as a world champion,” Ball said. “It has been over four years and it will be really special for me.
“Local interest in me and the other lads in the city is growing all the time, and we all want to make Liverpool a regular destination for Frank and Queensberry. We’ve got the fighters to make this happen and I am sure the people will get behind us all.
Rios (34-4, 17 KOs) is a two-time world title challenger who has mixed with the best during his 16-year professional career. In 2017, the cerebral Californian was outpointed by Rey Vargas, who held Ball to a draw last year, and Rios was stopped in the final round by Murodjon Akhmadaliev in 2022.
The Sporting News will provide undercard results and a full report on the main event.
Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios fight card
- Nick Ball (c) vs. Ronny Rios for the WBA featherweight title
- Jack Rafferty vs. Henry Turner for the British and Commonwealth super lightweight titles
- Andrew Cain vs. Lazaro Casseres; Bantamweights
- Jadier Herrera vs. Oliver Flores; Lightweights
- James McGivern vs. Reuquen Cona Facundo Arce; Lightweights
- Brad Strand vs. Marvin Solano; Super Bantamweights
- Jack Turner vs. Gonzalo Corinaldesi; Bantamweights
- Nelson Birchall vs. Mark Butler; Super Featherweights
- Boma Brown vs. Amine Boucetta; Heavyweights
Where to watch Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios
- Channel/live stream: ESPN+
Fight fans can watch Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios on ESPN+. You can subscribe to ESPN+ for $10.99 on a monthly subscription and $109.99 on an annual subscription.
WATCH: Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios, exclusively on ESPN+
Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios start time
- Date: Saturday, October 5
- Time: 2 p.m. ET | 11 a.m. PT
- Main event start time (approx.): 5:30 p.m. ET | 2:30 p.m. PT
- Location: M&S Bank Arena - Liverpool, England
The Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios fight card starts at 2 p.m. ET. Both main event fighters should make their way to the ring around 5:30 p.m., depending on how long the undercard fights last.