Liverpool boxer Nick Ball will step into his second consecutive world title fight when he faces WBA world featherweight champion Raymond Ford.
Ball, 27, will return to Riyadh following his split-decision draw with WBC world featherweight champion, Ray Vargas on March 8.
The ‘Wrecking Ball’ dropped the Mexican in the eighth and eleventh rounds on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s knockout victory over Francis Ngannou.
It wasn’t enough to claim the belt as the judges scored the contest 116-119 Ball, 114-112 Vargas and 113-113 for a draw.
His promoter, Frank Warren spoke in the ring after bell to vent his frustrations on the outcome.
He said: “Nick Ball should be a world champion tonight and will no doubt be in the very near future.”
Fighting out of the Everton Red Triangle ABC, the boxer from Kirkby will get another chance to become England’s next boxing world champion against Ford.
Ford stopped Otabek Kholmatov in the final seconds of their fight in New York to claim the vacant WBA world featherweight title – the week prior to Ball’s fight with Vargas.
The 25-year-old from New Jersey will put his undefeated 15-0-1 record (eight KO’s) on the line against Ball’s 19-0-1 (11 KO’s) when the pair meet at the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia.
The fight will take place as part of Queensbury and Matchroom’s ‘5 vs. 5’ event.
Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn will pit five of their fighters against each other in the first event of this kind.
Deontay Wilder will return to the Kingdom Arena to face Zhilei Zhang.
The Bronze Bomber suffered a unanimous decision loss to Joseph Parker on the Day of Reckoning event in March.
Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol will fight in the main event for the chance to become undisputed lightweight champion of the world.
