Nick Ball is guaranteed a tumultuous reception when he steps into the ring at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool to make the first defence of his WBA featherweight belt on Saturday. The fighter from Kirkby in Merseyside is back in action in his own backyard for the first time since stopping Ivan Godor after just one round in February 2020 at Liverpool's Grand Central Hall.
The undefeated 27-year-old, nicknamed ‘Wrecking Ball’, has come a long way since then, shooting up the featherweight ranks. He’s currently 4th in Ring Magazine’s rankings for that weight division. Nick Ball, who’s always a bundle of energy in the ring, throwing punches all night long, returns to British soil after two impressive and hard-fought world title clashes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In March this year, he drew with Rey Vargas in a WBC featherweight title bout, which many pundits thought Ball had won. He didn’t let the decision faze him, though, as he took on Raymond Ford for the WBA featherweight crown three months later in June and came out on top by split decision after 12 gruelling rounds. It was Ford’s first-ever defeat.
Getty Images Nick Ball’s opponent for the first defence of his WBA crown is the very experienced Ronny Rios, who hails from California, USA. Rios may have lost four times during a 34-fight pro career, but he was unbeaten during his opening 23 fights and also took Rey Vargas the distance when the pair fought for the WBC super bantamweight title in 2017.
Ronny Rios won his last fight back in April, knocking out Nicolas Polanco in the 5th round in Florida. However, he’s been relatively inactive compared to Nick Ball, fighting only three times in the past four years. This will also be Rios’ first ever bout outside of America, despite making his pro debut in 2008.
Promoted by Queensberry Promotions, Ball vs Rios headlines a stacked card. There’s also the mouthwatering encounter between Jack Rafferty and Henry Turner. Someone’s 0 must go, as the undefeated rising talents go toe-to-toe for the British and Commonwealth super lightweight belts.
Where and when can you watch the WBA featherweight world title clash? What further bouts are on the bill? What are the headline duo’s fight records? Let GOAL give you all the info you require as Nick Ball and Ronny Rios lock horns in Liverpool this weekend.
When will Nick Ball vs Ronny Rios take place?
| Date | Saturday, October 5 |
| Start time | 19:00 PM BST / 14:00 PM ET |
| Main card ring walks | 22:00 PM BST / 17:00 PM ET |
Nick Ball and Ronny Rios will fight on Saturday, October 5, at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England.
Liverpool Arena, known for sponsorship reasons as the M&S Bank Arena (and previously the Echo Arena), is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Liverpool’s city centre.
Since opening its doors in 2008, the arena has hosted many sporting and entertainment events, including the Eurovision Song Contest, MTV Europe Music Awards, Davis Cup Tennis, the Vitality Netball World Cup, and the World Gymnastics Championships. Music legends like Sir Paul McCartney and Beyonce have also performed at the venue.
The M&S Bank Arena will host next year’s World Boxing Championships. The championships will take place from September 4 to 14, 2025, and will feature men's and women's competition in 10 weight classes.
How to watch Nick Ball vs Ronny Rios in the UK
You can watch and stream Ball vs Rios on TNT Sports in the UK and all their Boxing cards via the discovery+ Premium app and web player for £30.99/month. This streaming service lets you watch all the TNT Sports channels via the Discovery+ app on your TV, smart stick, games console, computer, tablet or phone. Along with the main TNT Sports channels, you’ll also get Eurosport and lifestyle channels such as TLC, Quest, and Discovery. This is a monthly pass, and you can cancel it anytime.
If you get your internet services from BT, you can add BT TV to get the TNT Sports channels for an extra monthly charge. The sports packages start from £20 a month. Though you can still watch via the BT Sport App, you will eventually need to move to the Discovery+ app.
How to watch Nick Ball vs Ronny Rios in the US
The 12-round world title bout, plus undercard action, will now air on ESPN+ in the U.S. This is a standalone service from regular ESPN, so you don’t need to be an existing TV subscriber. You can download the app for PC, Apple, Android, Fire TV, Roku, Smart TV and many others.
An ESPN+ subscription costs $10.99/month, or you can save 15% by paying $109.99/year annually. You can enjoy ESPN+ on up to 5 different devices simultaneously (or up to 2 devices for UFC PPVs).
Nick Ball vs Ronny Rios fight card
| Weight Class | Main Card |
|---|---|
| Featherweight | Nick Ball vs Ronny Rios |
| Super Lightweight | Jack Rafferty vs Henry Turner |
| Bantamweight | Andrey Cain vs Lazarro Casseres |
| Lightweight | Jadier Herrera vs Oliver Flores |
| Lightweight | James McGivern vs R.Cona Facundo Arce |
Nick Ball – Professional Boxing Stats
Age: 27
Height: 5' 5" / 165 cm
Reach: 65" / 165 cm
Total fights: 21
Record: 20-0-1 (11 KOs)
Ronny Rios – Professional Boxing Stats
Age: 34
Height: 5' 7" / 171 cm
Reach: 66.9" / 170 cm
Total fights: 38
Record: 34-4-0 (17 KOs)