The featherweight showdown between Rey Vargas of Mexico and Nick Ball of Liverpool threw fuel on the division fire after a wild, messy fight that left both men precisely where they started.
After a slow start, the underdog Ball (19-0-1, 11 KOs) roared back with two knockdowns against Vargas (36-1-1, 22 KOs), managing a split draw to walk away without a loss, but without the WBC World Featherweight title he came for.
Rey Vargas easily won the early rounds, keeping Nick Ball at a distance.
Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing.
Neither man was happy with the outcome, and the fans ringside in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who were squarely behind Ball, roared their disapproval as ring announcer Thomas Trieber read the scores.
Queensberry Promotions boss Frank Warren channeled the crowd’s outage: “He won the fight. We’re not crybabies. He won the fight. Listen to the crowd. Did he win it or not win it? I don’t know what’s going on. How is that a split? He knocked him down twice! He lost the early rounds, but he won that fight.”
Rey Vargas Caught Napping
Nick Ball began finding the target with hooks to the head of the much taller Rey Vargas. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing
Vargas, who had a six-inch height advantage over Ball, seemed to be cruising through the first half of the fight, doing enough to win rounds safely by keeping Ball at a distance. It didn’t make for an exciting fight, but it was a good strategy by Vargas.
Coming off a loss at super featherweight before moving back down to defend his title and being out of the ring for 13 months, Vargas surely knew he wasn’t at his sharpest.
When Ball went for broke and dared to walk through the fire, it seemed almost comical to see him stretching his full frame to land hooks to the head on Vargas. But land them he did, and it didn’t seem funny anymore.
Vargas argued with referee Giovanni Poggi about both knockdowns. The first came in the eighth round, initiated by Ball with a hard right hand. As Vargas backpedaled to get out of the way and recover, Ball swarmed the taller man and found the target several more times.
It seemed Vargas might make it out of the round, but a punch at the bell as Vargas was off balance with Ball leaning on him resulted in Poggi calling the knockdown and counting out after the bell. Vargas was so exasperated, he spit his mouthpiece out and threw it into the crowd.
Nick Ball Comes On Strong – But Too Late
Nick Ball scored his second knockdown against Rey Vargas in the 11th round, but it was only enough to get him a draw. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing.
Ball now knew with certainty how to get to Vargas, and he took it to him for the remainder of the fight. In the 11th round, he had Vargas in trouble again and knocked him down for a second time. Vargas had to fight back to keep the buzzing Ball off him, and both made it to the end of the fight on their feet, only to hear the scores, which disappointed both of them.
“I had two knockdowns, obviously I was putting the pressure on the whole fight. I was the aggressor in the fight,” said Ball. “It’s a bit frustrating, innit? But that’s the way it is. I knew I was at that level, I just needed the opportunity to show it. It’s a disappointment, really.”
Vargas showed some defiance in his reaction. “Coming all the way here in his backyard to fight him, it shows I have character. He had the crowd behind him, the (Saudi General Entertainment) Authority behind him,” said Vargas.
Vargas and Ball Rematch In Store?
Do the fans want to see Rey Vargas and Nick Ball go head-to-head again? Vargas said it'll cost. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing
Vargas admitted the long layoff since his last fight and his first loss wasn’t helpful either. “Definitely, yes, it affects me. Coming off the loss, no problem. But one year with no activity, it obviously affected my performance. I got the draw. I didn’t like the way they counted it.”
Vargas thanked the various parties involved in the fight and those who traveled from Mexico City to support him. He said he’d be open to a rematch and would be willing to return to Saudi Arabia ” if they pay me three or four times more.” All right, then.