Ball feared disqualification for kicking out at TJ Doheny

Nick Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs) was fearing disqualification after he kicked out at TJ Doheny (26-6) at the end of first round of the fight held on March 15 in Liverpool, UK.

Ball defended his WBA World featherweight title after Doheny retired in round 10.

Their contest encouraged a sense of controversy after the first round. They came together at the sound of the bell to end the first and Doheny put the shorter Ball into a headlock. Ball then angrily responded by forcing his head free and kicking Doheny in the back of the leg.

Doheny hit the canvas and seemed to exaggerate the effect of the incident, but the referee Michael Alexander was dismissive of his antics. He waved the Irishman to his feet, and Ball nervously waited to see how Alexander would responsd.

Fortunately for Ball, Alexander decided to let him off with a warning, but he admitted afterwards that he feared he was going to be disqualified.

“I thought it was going to be [the end], to be honest,” the 28-year-old told BoxingScene. “But the ref was quite strict, wasn’t he? He took a point off for the holding. So he could have taken a point off or even disqualified me for that. So thanks to him for not.”