Nick Ball vs Ronny Rios Predictions: ‘Wrecking’ Ball rolls into Liverpool

Kirkby’s Nick ‘Wrecking’ Ball defends his WBA featherweight championship against Ronny Rios this Saturday, October 5. The bout headlines the M & S Arena in Liverpool with TNT Sports televising.

Here are my Ball vs Rios predictions ahead of this tasty tussle.

It is the way of boxing these days that, despite this being Ball’s third consecutive world title fight, it is his first to take place outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

‘Wrecking Ball’ pushed WBC featherweight Rey Vargas to the limit in a split draw on the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou card. Ball then went one better against WBA kingpin Raymond Ford on the Matchroom vs Queensberry 5v5 event. The Brit eked out a split decision over the unbeaten American to lift his first world championship.

Now Ball lands a first defence and a maiden world title fight on home soil. The Merseyside man left a prospect and returned a champion, making this championship bow on his own doorstep in Liverpool. In the other corner stands Rios, a veteran of boxing at the very highest level.

Rios has done everything in his career except win a world title. The 34-year-old was the first man to defeat Diego De La Hoya, cousin of the iconic ‘Golden Boy’ Oscar. Rios holds wins over high-level competitors like Jayson Velez, Oscar Negrete and Rico Ramos. 

Rios has also challenged Rey Vargas and Murodjon Akhmadaliev for world titles. The former decisioned him while the latter stopped him in the 12th round. After competing for world honours but falling short, one feels like this will be Rios’ last chance at a title.

Ball is not the opponent you’d necessarily choose if you knew you had one last tilt at the gold. The champion is a relentless pressure-fighter who makes his opponents work every second of e every round. When you’re a 34-year-old challenger with a history of hard fights, Ball’s to-the-wall style is the last thing you need to face.

There is power in those fists too. 11 knockouts from 20 wins doesn’t quite tell the story as far as Ball is concerned. He had Vargas down twice in their draw. Isaac Dogboe went down on the way to a decision defeat while Jesus Ramirez Rubio hit the deck three times on the way to Ball stopping him in the opening round. 

Five of Ball’s distance fights came in consecutive four-rounders at the start of his career. As the opposition has improved, this relentless fighter has found his punch. 

Rios has been stopped three times in his four defeats, with the most recent coming two years ago against Azat Hovhannisyan. The challenger has fought just once since, logging a fifth-round stoppage of fellow veteran Nicolas Polanco. It was Rios’ only ring action for two years. It remains to be seen whether he can still go up through the gears against a world class opponent,

This fight makes sense for Ball. Rios has a name but is probably in the twilight of his career. After tough assignments against Vargas and Ford, he is probably due a slightly easier night. A big homecoming in front of a hometown crowd will help boost his drawing power in the UK, too.

Without wishing to write Rios off completely, he is being set up as the talented fall guy here. The Californian has had a good run and he’ll get paid well for this fight. But he’s about to run into the ‘Wrecking Ball’.

Nick Ball vs Ronny Rios Fight Odds

Ball is a 1/20 favourite to win his first world title defence. You can back Rios to pull off the away win at 8/1. A draw is priced at 20/1.

Nick Ball vs Ronny Rios Full Card

Nick Ball vs. Ronny Rios; For Ball's WBA featherweight title 

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Nick Ball vs Ronny Rios Prediction

I think the champion can grind down his veteran challenger here. Rios has been in with the best and I truly believe ‘Wrecking Ball’ belongs on that list. For that reason I am predicting Rios to take at least two trips to the canvas. 

Rios to get knocked down twice or more is priced up at 1/1.

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