Nick Ball Vs. Naoya Inoue – How Does It Play Out?

Nick Ball is targeting Naoya Inoue following his win over Sam Goodman, as we look at how the fight could play out. 

Inoue is an explosive counter-puncher with a 90% knockout rate, while Ball is a relentless, pressure-fighting brawler. Inoue’s wide stance gives him a base for attack and defense, allowing him to set up his counters. He uses feints and his jab to draw out an opponent’s attack. For example, against Stephen Fulton, Inoue used the jab to find his range, creating the opening for the right hand that led to the knockout. Against a non-stop aggressor like Ball, Inoue would likely use a similar tactic.

Ball thrives on constant pressure. He’s not a one-punch knockout artist like Inoue, but his relentless pace is designed to break down opponents over the course of a fight. In his draw against Rey Vargas, Ball showcased this persistence. He took punches to get on the inside, where he could work the body and land uppercuts and hooks.

Ball Reacts

Ball’s success would depend on his ability to make the fight ugly. He would need to avoid getting caught on the way in and immediately start working to the body to sap Inoue’s energy. Ball’s style relies on absorbing punishment to get close, and against someone with Inoue’s power, this is a dangerous game. Inoue’s fight with Luis Nery is a good example of this; Nery came forward and landed a big shot to drop Inoue, but Inoue recovered quickly and systematically broke him down. After his Goodman win, Ball was eying up a fight with Inoue.

“It has been spoken about that much; everyone wants it to happen. Let’s make it happen. There are three more belts out there and I wouldn’t mind fighting for them. Or the other big names. It was good. I’m still obviously a world champion, but it probably wasn’t my best performance, in my honest opinion.

“But the main thing is that we got the job done. I’m still champion. I probably got hit a bit too much. Mostly it was on the gloves. I’ll have to watch it back. That’s what champions do, no matter what situation they’re in. They always come through. I just want to keep fighting and keep improving. Obviously being in with the other big names, the big title fights, that’s the aim,” Ball said