Nick Ball still doesn’t have an opponent picked out for his next defense of his WBA featherweight title following his 12-round unanimous decision win over super bantamweight Sam Goodman on August 16, 2025, in Riyadh.

Chasing the Inoue Jackpot

The perception among fans online is that Ball, 28, is focusing on safe fights, ensuring that he holds onto his WBA title long enough to secure a lucrative bout against Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue when he moves up to featherweight. They feel that Ball is chasing a payday against Inoue while avoiding these fighters at 126:

• Rafael Espinoza: WBO featherweight champion
• Mirco Cuello: WBA interim champ and the mandatory for Ball’s title
• Bruce Carrington: WBC interim
• Angelo Leo: IBF champion
• Stephen Fulton: WBC champion

Fans want to see Ball (23-0-1, 13 KOs) to start defending against actual featherweights, as he’s chosen to make his last two defenses of his WBA 126-lb title against fighters selected from the 122-lb division, 38-year-old TJ Doheny and Sam Goodman. This was the third voluntary defense by Ball of his WBA title, and he has yet to face his mandatory challenger. His first defense came against veteran Ronny Rios on October 5, 2024.

Cuello’s Mandatory Threat

“[Nick] Cuello, the No. 1 contender, could be next in line for Ball’s WBA featherweight title,” said Sporting News about a possible opponent for Nick Ball’s next title defense.

Ideally, WBA interim featherweight champion Mirco Cuello (16-0, 13 KOs) should be next for Ball, as he’s mandatory. The Argentinian Cuello, 24, would be an excellent fight for Ball to take in December because he’s an all-action type of brawler that would make for an exciting battle.

The Body Punching Specialist

Cuello’s body punching is formidable. He stopped his last two opponents, Sergio Ríos Jiménez and Christian Olivo Barreda, with left hooks to the body. He’s tactical with the way he approaches using that weapon in his fights, tending to wait for the right moment to land his left hook. The power and the form that Cuello uses on that punch are similar to those of Mexican greats Rubén Olivares and Julio Cesar Chavez.