BOXING fans were left in disbelief after Nick Ball escaped punishment after KICKING his opponent.
Ball was facing off against TJ Doheny for the WBA featherweight title in Liverpool when the crazy incident occurred.
Nick Ball went on to successfully defend his WBA featherweight title belt[/caption]
At the end of the first round tensions boiled over between the fighters as the bell went off when they were in a corner of the ring.
Doheny was up against the ropes when he placed Ball into a headlock.
But Ball then responded by literally kicking out at his opponent.
Ball’s low kick to Doheny’s leg sent him tumbling to the canvas.
Referee Michael Alexander proceeded to reprimand both fighters but did not take any points away from either of them.
Fans on social media were stunned at the events which had played out, with one saying: “Should be an immediate DQ for that.”
A second said: “He’s very very lucky to not be disqualified here.”
A third added: “Nick Ball should of been disqualified for kicking I don’t understand.”
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Another said: “Imagine getting disqualified from a boxing match for hitting a split second after the bell.. but if you kick your opponent you don’t get disqualified. What is wrong with these refs?”
A fifth said: “Ball should be disqualified. Kicking has no place in the ring.”
A sixth added: “Sign that boy up to the UFC, he’s wasting his talents in boxing. That was a solid low kick, Doheny had a dead leg lol.”
Amid the controversy, Ball went on to defend his world title with a 10th round stoppage victory in front of his adoring home crowd.
It was a thoroughly deserved win too, as the 28-year-old battered his rival across the ring after the halfway mark before Doheny’s team threw in the towel.
Wrecking Ball’s win moves him to 22-0-1 as a professional, including his title belt win over Raymond Fort last year.
The sole blemish on his otherwise perfect record came when contesting the WBC featherweight belt against Rey Vargas which ended in a draw.
Ball’s win over Irishman Doheny was his second successful title defence of the belt.
He now has his eyes set on a bout with undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
Meanwhile, it was a second successive stoppage loss for 38-year-old Doheny, who will now need to consider whether to hang up his gloves.
