Nick Ball’s eventual win over TJ Doheny on Saturday night in Liverpool came perilously close to collapsing in the very first round due to an unlikely foul. After escaping a clinch, Ball, the WBA featherweight champion, used his foot instead of his fist to deliver a blatant kick to the back of Doheny’s leg. Spectators and TV viewers alike were stunned, especially once replays confirmed the nature of the foul. Conventional wisdom suggested a disqualification – or at the very least a point deduction – but referee Michael Alexander showed leniency, issuing only a verbal warning.
The bizarre moment nearly overshadowed what was, aside from that slip-up, a strong showing by Ball. He dominated the 38-year-old Doheny throughout the majority of the ensuing rounds, methodically closing the gap and wearing the Irishman down. It was only in the ninth round that Ball was actually deducted a point, ironically for throwing Doheny to the canvas with his arm rather than addressing the earlier, more egregious kick. By then, Doheny had little left, and the fight was stopped after the 10th round.
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Debate lingers over whether Alexander should have enforced a stricter penalty. After all, boxing is a sport of fists, and intentionally kicking an opponent goes far beyond acceptable conduct. Some argue that had Ball been an undercard fighter or less of a local star, he might have been booted from the event on the spot. Others suggest an immediate disqualification would have spoiled the show for the Liverpool crowd, who were only one round into the main event.
In the end, Ball preserved his unbeaten record and retained his WBA belt with an unusual asterisk hanging over the night. While Doheny accepted the final result, the sense of confusion surrounding the officiating remains. Most would agree that an incident as clear-cut as a kick deserves a more decisive response than a slap on the wrist, lest fighters in future bouts consider pushing the boundaries even further.
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