Nick Ball, the reigning WBA featherweight champion, has rapidly become a fan favorite, known for his relentless pressure and high-volume punching. His exciting style has boxing enthusiasts dreaming of a potential clash with Naoya Inoue, the unified super-bantamweight king.

Frank Warren, Ball’s promoter, has confirmed that talks are underway for this highly anticipated matchup.Inoue, boasting a perfect 30-0 record with 27 knockouts, has expressed interest in moving up to the featherweight division when the time is right.

Inoue’s Immediate Plans and Ball’s Next Steps

Inoue has immediate business at 122 pounds, including a scheduled fight against Murodjon Akhmadaliev in September and a potential all-Japanese showdown with Junto Nakatani. however, warren has indicated that Inoue vs. Ball could materialize either later this year or in early 2025.

Before any potential mega-fight, Ball, currently 22-0-1 with 13 KOs, is preparing for a significant bout of his own. The outcome of this fight will likely determine the timeline for a potential showdown with inoue.

Warren’s Perspective: A Fight That Can Happen

Warren is optimistic about the potential matchup, expressing confidence in Ball’s chances. I like Nick in the fight [against Inoue], Warren stated.He also acknowledged Inoue’s extraordinary talent, saying, Inoue, I’m a massive, massive fan. Guys get caught. It’s when thay get up and win. He’s a quality, quality fighter.

Warren emphasized that both fighters need to secure victories in their upcoming bouts to pave the way for the dream match. They’re up for it (Inoue’s team, on a fight with Ball). They gotta win their respective fights, come through those, and I’m sure we’ll get it done. We’re announcing a big fight [for Ball] in a couple of weeks’ time. We get that done, Nick’s got to win, and he’s going to have another fight.Then, hopefully, we get him [and Inoue] on at the end of the year or february.

Unification on Ball’s Mind?

While the prospect of Inoue vs. Ball is tantalizing,there’s also the possibility of Ball pursuing unification of the featherweight titles. Many believe Ball was unfairly denied a victory against Rey Vargas for the WBC title in March of last year, a fight that was scored a draw despite Ball’s apparent dominance.

by rights, Ball should already have two belts, as he was clearly robbed of a rightful win over Rey Vargas and the WBC title back in March of last year—the fight Ball appeared to largely dominate was somehow scored a draw.

Boxing Analyst

Securing all the belts at 126 pounds would undoubtedly amplify the magnitude of a potential clash with Inoue, making it an even more significant event in the boxing world.