Heartbreaker! Brandon Figueroa Decks Nick Ball Twice in Round 12 and Wins WBA World Featherweight Title
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
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Liverpool, UK (February 8th, 2026)– In an upset, Brandon ‘Heartbreaker’ Figueroa, having won the bout on two scorecards entering round 12, scored two knockdowns in the first 30 seconds of the final round, sending defending champion Nick Ball through the ropes down and out for good, to win the World Boxing Association World Featherweight championship, in the main event at Echo Arena in Liverpool, United Kingdom, on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
A composed Figueroa, now 27-2 with 20 knockouts, Weslaco, Texas, the former WBA and WBC World Super Bantamweight champion, and WBC World Featherweight champion, won a world title for the fourth time on the road by dominating both activity and power punches. Figueroa threw 757 punches to Ball’s 567 punches. Ball, 23-1-1 with 13 knockouts, Liverpool, United Kingdom, landed 249 blows to Figueroa’s 214, and Ball landed 117 jabs to Figueroa’s 37. However, Figueroa landed 177 power shots, with 94 power shots landed to the body. Ball landed 132 power shots, but only 14 to the body. That disparity in a bout fought at close range in a telephone booth not only gave Figueroa the bout entering round 12, but left Ball winded and gassed by the end of round 11.
Breathing heavily at the end of round 11, Ball emerged for round 12, but the body work done by a calm Figueroa had taken its toll. A vicious left hook by Figueroa sent Ball face-first to the canvas. Ball somehow beat the count and staggered forward with his gloves up, but his legs were gone. Figueroa then threw nine punches. The first eight lefts and rights landed on Ball with upraised gloves, who tumbled backwards and wound up draped over the bottom ring ropes, unable to get up, where referee Steve Gray waved a halt to the contest at 12 seconds of round 12.
Two judges had Figueroa ahead 106-103, meaning Ball would have had to knock Figueroa down twice in the tenth round to achieve a majority draw. One judge had Ball up 107-102 based on the volume of jabs landed in the contest, meaning if Ball had survived the 12th and final round, that judge would still have given the bout to Ball 114-112. Many of the rounds were close, and it would be fair to presume that, given the close nature of this bout, the judges would have given the bout to Ball on home territory.
Figueroa allowed Ball to fight at close quarters, and successfully used quality body work in close rather than size and reach advantage to make Ball pay dearly for the nonstop exchanges via cumulative effect. Midway through the bout, Ball had a swollen left eye and a broken, bloody nose. Figueroa simply dealt Ball too much quality punishment. Work the body enough, and the hands will follow and the defense will crumble.
While Figueroa and his corner celebrated the win, the pro-Ball Liverpool crowd angrily hurled their drinks at Figueroa and his people, turning the ring jubilee of the challenger’s corner into Coyote Ugly.
Result: Brandon Figueroa TKO 12 Nick Ball, Featherweights (0:32)
Figueroa wins the World Boxing Association World Featherweight title
Referee: Steve Gray. Scoring: 106-103, 106-103 Figueroa. 107-102 Ball at end of 11 rounds.
Main Card Results
WBA Featherweight Championship: Brandon Figueroa def. Nick Ball by TKO (R12, 0:32)
WBC Bantamweight Final Eliminator: Andrew Cain def. Alejandro Jair Gonzalez by TKO (R9)
Super Flyweight: Jack Turner def. Juan Carlos Martinez Urbina by RTD (R3, 3:00)
Super Bantamweight: Brad Strand def. Ruben Lezama Gonzalez by TKO (R3, 1:24)
Featherweight: Hasan Ishaq def. Leonardo Baez by TKO (R3, 1:39)
Undercard Results
Middleweight: William Birchall def. Caine Singh by TKO (R1, 2:55)
Super Featherweight: Jack Swallow def. Paddy Lacey by PTS (6 rounds)
Super Middleweight: Stephen Clarke def. Lewis Howells by TKO (R8, 1:42)
Welterweight: Lucas Biswana def. Liam Macmillan by TKO (R1, 2:46)
Middleweight: Luke Turner def. Jensen Irving by TKO (R4, 2:29)
Super Featherweight: Sam Norris def. Jack England by PTS (4 rounds)
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COMMENTS
Robert Brizel – Head Boxing Correspondent