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The road to Naoya Inoue, who does Nick Ball need to face to secure mega-fight
Nick Ball continued his rise as one of British boxing's premier talents on Saturday night when he successfully defended his WBA featherweight title against TJ Doheny.
Doheny was pulled out of the contest at the end of the tenth round by his corner after the Irishman suffered immense swelling under his eyes along with a suspected broken jaw.
While Ball celebrated another memorable win in his home city of Liverpool, there was only one name being spoken about in the usual post-fight media duties, Naoya Inoue.
The undisputed super bantamweight champion has often been linked to a fight with Ball, with a move up to featherweight set to be undertaken by the Japanese superstar in the not too distant future.
- Read next | Naoya Inoue or major rematch? - Five fights that could be next for Liverpool's Nick Ball
When Inoue decides to move up in weight, Ball is seen by some as the perfect man to welcome the 'Monster' to 126lbs.
Unfortunately for Ball, his Inoue welcome party will have to wait with the latter set to defend his undisputed super bantamweight title against Ramon Cardenas on May 4 in Las Vegas.
Therefore Ball will have to manoeuvre himself into a position to give Inoue no choice but to face him, so what fights should the 'Wrecking Ball' take before hopefully landing the biggest night of his career.
Deal with mandatory challenger Mirco Cuello
Steve Marcus/Getty Images
With Ball having made two voluntary defences of his WBA, do not be surprised if boxing politics decides to make an appearance and call for a mandatory defence.
If the WBA do indeed decide to call their mandatory, Ball will have to face Argentina's Mirco Cuello.
Undefeated in his 15 fights as a professional, with 12 wins coming by way of knockout, Cuello is becoming a credible contender, and is making statements on the biggest platforms.
His last fight, a tenth round stoppage against Christian Olivio Barreda in February, came on the undercard of the major light heavyweight matchup between David Benavidez and David Morrell.
While Cuello will be a relatively unknown name outside of hardcore boxing fans, he is someone not to be taken lightly.
South Americans often enjoy making the trip across the Atlantic and upsetting the apple cart, so Ball will need to be at his best against the Argentine where a win would take him one step closer to Inoue.
Unify with Stephen Fulton and 'break America'
Steve Marcus/Getty Images
If British fighters want to become global superstars, then becoming a household name in the United States is paramount to this goal.
Former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury was the latest British boxer to become a known face to the American sporting public, and with Inoue a global star, Ball has to rise to this level in order to grab his attention.
Inoue's first fight at featherweight will no doubt be for a world title or two, therefore if Ball wants to be in the best possible place to make this contest a reality, he will need to add another featherweight belt to his collection.
Cue WBC featherweight titleholder Stephen Fulton Jr, an established name in the US and former rival of Inoue's.
Inoue and Fulton met two years ago in an eagerly-anticipated contest in what was the former's super bantamweight debut. Fulton, who held the WBC and WBO titles at the weight, was stopped in round eight by the 'Monster' in Tokyo.
If Fulton and Ball strike a deal for a WBA and WBC unification clash, it will more than likely take place in the States which will be a golden opportunity for Ball.
Not only will this fight give the 28-year-old the chance to announce himself in America with a win, but if he can better Inoue's performance against the Philadelphia native, then it could be something which gives Inoue a point to prove and an eagerness to face Ball.
Inoue and Ball on a collision course
DAZN
In boxing, it is dangerous to look ahead to future fights, but this is what keeps fans locked in heated discussions.
Inoue vs Ball is a contest which excites many fight fans, mostly because it will put two men against each other who are not afraid to trade blows and produce an all out war.
The pair are already on each other's radar, judging by a recent social media exchange following Ball's win over Doheny, and now it is a waiting game to see whether a clash with Inoue can be made.
It is expected that Inoue will fight once more in 2025 at super bantamweight if he gets past Ramon Cardenas, then 2026 could finally be the time he decides to move up to 126lbs.
Ball meanwhile will need to keep active, deal with one or two more opponents and make plenty of noise in pursuit of the biggest fight of his career.
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