Rey Vargas and Nick Ball had to settle for a draw in their WBC featherweight title fight on the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou undercard in Saudi Arabia.
Vargas was dominating the action throughout the first half of the fight, but Ball finally got through with a knockdown in round eight. A further knockdown followed in round 11, but Vargas managed to get to the final bell.
It went to the scorecards, with the judges scoring it 114-112 Vargas, 116-110 Ball, and 113-113, meaning it was a split draw.
Ball: “I had two knockdowns and I was putting the pressure on for the whole fight. I was the aggressor so I thought I did enough. I can’t get angry at it. I’ve got to stay focused.”
Frank Warren: “He [Ball] won the fight. We’re not crybabies but he won the fight. Listen to the crowd. It [the rematch] will get ordered by the WBC.
Vargas: “I had one year no activity, of course that affects my performance. Yes of course [will there be a rematch]. I will even come to his backyard to fight him. I’m not afraid. I want to thank all the people who were here supporting me.”
Elsewhere on the card, Israil Madrimov won the vacant WBA super-welterweight title with a fifth round stoppage win over Magomed Kurbanov.
Mark Chamberlain won the vacant WBA Inter-Continental lightweight title after a fourth round stoppage win against Gavin Gwynne, plus Justis Huni defeated Kevin Lerana by unanimous decision to win the vacant WBO Global heavyweight title.
Louis Greene secured an upset as he claimed a dramatic first round knockout win over Jack McGann, plus there were victories for Roman Fury, Andrii Novytskyi and Ziyad Almaayouf.