Frank Warren expects the WBC to order a rematch between Nick Ball and the WBC featherweight champion Rey Vargas.
Ball and Vargas fought to a controversial draw on Friday evening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where scores of 114-112 for Vargas, 116-110 for Ball and 113-113 ensured that the Mexican retained his title.
The challenger, 27, recorded knockdowns in the eighth and 11th rounds as he built momentum and imposed himself throughout the second half of their fight, and he appeared sufficiently deserving of victory that boos came from the crowd when the scores were announced.
“He won the fight,” said his promoter Frank Warren. “We’re not crybabies – he won the fight. Listen to the crowd. Did he win it or did he not win it? Who won the fight? He won the fight. I don’t know what’s going on – I don’t understand. He had him down twice. He lost a few of the early rounds but I’m telling you – he won that fight.
“I think it’ll get ordered by the WBC. I’m sure it will.”
“I had two knockdowns and I was putting the pressure on for the whole fight,” Ball said. “That’s what it felt like – I’ll have to watch it back. I was the aggressor. I thought I done enough to win it.
“It’s a bit frustrating, isn’t it, but that’s just the way it is. You can’t get angry – you gotta stay focused and carry on doing the job. It is frustrating.
“I knew I was at that level. It’s just getting the opportunity to show it. Thanks to Frank, who got me here, and Paul [Stevenson, my trainer], who got me to this point in my career, I’ve shown that, haven’t I? It’s disappointing, really.”
Further boos came from the crowd when Vargas, 33, prepared to speak.
“Coming all the way here in his backyard, to fight him, in his backyard [Ball does not live in Saudi Arabia] – that shows that I’ve got character,” he said. “That I’ve got courage – he even he has his people behind him; the crowd behind him; the authorities behind him, and even though we got a draw, that’s a double, double victory.
“One year with no activity obviously affects my performance. Even though I made a great fight – I got a draw even though I didn’t like the way they count the drops. I’m here. It’s good.
“Yes, of course [I would fight him again]. I would even come here to his backyard to fight him. No problem – I’m not afraid of that. But I need the ground to be fair.”