- Nick Ball battled Rey Vargas to a split draw on Joshua vs. Ngannou undercard
- Liverpool controlled the second half of the fight and dropped Vergas twice.
- Fans on social media insisted Ball should have been given the decision victory.
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Fans have claimed that Nick Ball was robbed when he fought Rey Vargas to a split draw on the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou undercard.
Giving up almost half a foot in height and at least as much reach, Ball faced an uphill battle from the opening bell in Riyadh.
Ball struggled to implement his play early on as Vargas confidently handled the range, punishing Liverpool as they attempted to close the gap.
Frustration was evident when Ball managed to get inside in the third, as the referee booked him for excessive holding, but was docked a point.
Vargas continued to fight on the back foot in the middle rounds, with the ball maintaining forward momentum but accomplishing nothing of real significance.
Nick Ball battled Rey Vargas to a draw on the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou undercard
Ball struggled to find his way into Vargas’ jab as he was frustrated in the early rounds.
But the Liverpool man gained momentum as the fight progressed and sent Vargas to the canvas twice.
In the seventh, Ball landed his most substantial blow of the fight, staggering Vargas with a right hand and again rocking him later in the round as both men traded blows.
Ball continued to gain momentum in the next round, rocking Vargas again late in the eighth and controversially forcing a standing count after hitting the Mexican on the counterattack after tossing him in the clinch.
Momentum swung in Ball’s favor the longer the fight went on, as his blasts began to land with more regularity.
His persistence would pay off in the eleventh when a big right hand dropped Vargas and Ball looked to finish strong and capitalize on his opponent’s fatigue.
However, despite controlling much of the second half of the contest and having two rounds of 10-8 in favor of Ball, the judges were divided and the final scores read 114-112 Vargas, 116-110 Ball and 113-113 equals.
The decision proved highly controversial on social media, with former Premier League striker Darren Bent among those expressing confusion with the verdict.
‘Nick Ball won that fight,’ he wrote on X.
Simon Jordan agreed with Bent, calling the decision “despicable”.
‘#JoshuaNgannou… shocking atmosphere in Saudi Arabia… Despicable decision regarding the nick ball fight.’
One fan wrote: ‘Nick Ball was completely stolen. Terrible decision.’
Another agreed: “Nick Ball sewed well and correctly – a disgrace”
Another user added: ‘How come Nick Ball didn’t win that? Total disgrace
Darren Bent and Simon Jordan were among those who denounced the decision on social media.
Frank Warren was among those enraged by the decision and could be seen protesting inside the ring after the verdict was read.
In a post-fight interview, the promoter added that he hopes the pair will have a rematch for the featherweight title later this year.
“He won the fight and we’re not cry babies.” Warren said.
‘He won the fight. Listen to the crowd. Did he win? Or not? Who won the fight? He won the fight. Frankly, I don’t know what’s going on. I just don’t understand what that division was like? She sat him down twice. He lost some of the first rounds.