Brandon Figueroa Upsets Nick Ball With TKO Victory

In one of the most shocking finishes of the year, American Brandon Figueroa dethroned undefeated WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball with a thrilling 12th-round stoppage in front of a stunned hometown crowd at the M&S Bank Arena (Echo Arena) in Liverpool, England, on February 7, 2026.  

Figueroa (now 27-2-1, 20 KOs), the mandatory challenger and a former two-weight world champion known as “The Heartbreaker,” traveled into enemy territory and pulled off a come-from-behind victory. He silenced the partisan British fans by dropping Ball with a sweeping left hook early in the final round and then overwhelming the champion with a sustained flurry. The referee waved off the contest at just 32 seconds of round 12, with Ball hanging through the ropes. 

Ball (now 23-1-1, 13 KOs) had never been stopped or defeated in his professional career before this bout. The compact, high-pressure Liverpool fighter controlled much of the action with aggressive inside work and body punching, but Figueroa’s higher volume, body attack, and resilience in the championship rounds proved decisive. At the time of the stoppage, some scorecards had Figueroa slightly ahead. 

The Mexican-American southpaw becomes a three-time world champion (or three-weight titlist, depending on prior reigns) in his 30th pro fight. For Ball, the loss ends a dominant reign that included multiple defenses and marks the first major setback in what had been a meteoric rise.