LIVERPOOL, England - Brandon Figueroa brutally knocked out Nick Ball to claim the WBA featherweight title at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.

The now 27-2-1 (20 KOs) Figueroa told BoxingScene this week that he wasn’t worried about travelling over to the UK where questions have been asked of the judging of foreign fighters. Figueroa was fighting in Ball’s home city, but did not plan on letting the judges have a say in proceedings. The contest was close, too. As things turned out, Figueroa was not only up on many ringside reporter’s cards, he was also ahead on two of the three officials' cards, but at the time of the dramatic stoppage, nobody knew how the judges had it.

Figueroa made those tallies redundant, smashing a left hook across Ball’s chin that left him motionless on the canvas. Although Ball pulled himself up bravely he was soon down again. The finish was brutal as Figueroa, a true gladiator, claimed his third world title in two divisions.

The opening round, which perfectly set the tone, was an entertaining one. Figueroa, 29, pawed at Ball with his southpaw jab but the champion was having none of it. He bullishly pushed forwards and fired in a left uppercut that buckled the legs of the travelling Texan. Figueroa responded by trying to smother Ball, but he was shrugged him off and planted a right hand upstairs. Ball, also 29, was countering well, and in the second landed another right hand over the top of Figueroa’s jab. The American, however, didn’t seem too concerned with Ball’s power and continued to push the pace, firing a left hand to the body.

Despite Figueroa’s huge advantage in size he rarely used it and opted to fight up close with Ball. The American had success tagging the previously unbeaten favorite with his right hand and pressing him back into the corner. Ball pushed his way out of his own corner and waved the challenger on as the bell sounded.

Figueroa started the fourth well, knocking the head back of Ball with a left hand on the ropes. Ball was physical as the pair locked horns, uncorking wild hooks, but was being outlanded. Ball was wearing damage from the frantic pace of the opening rounds as he stood waiting for the fifth session to begin. Figueroa instantly got to work and planted in another body shot. The pair hammered away at each other but Ball's shots seemed to bounce of the bigger Figueroa.

Blood trickled from the nose of Ball as he returned to his corner. He had again broken it and, to make matters worse, there was swelling around his left eye. The fight seemed as though it was slipping away from the champion and Figueroa was growing in confidence. Then Ball landed two beautiful left hooks in the sixth only for his work to be cancelled out as Figueroa responded with four of his own. Ball just couldn’t match Figueroa’s workrate and, uncharacteristically, was struggling on the inside.

Ball rallied in the seventh, sitting back and catching Figueroa as he came in to land a flurry. A right hand bounced off Figueroa’s head and Ball followed with a left downstairs. Figueroa battled back in Round 8, unloading on Ball as he lay on the ropes. Ball hurt the challenger hurt when a right hand forced Figueroa to cover up but the challenger smiled through his guard and planted a heavy shot downstairs.

Figueroa continued to march forward in the ninth, bullying Ball up against the ropes. Ball was being outworked but had started to time Figueroa well as he pushed forwards. Despite Ball’s smaller reach it was his jab that was catching Figueroa, and although Figueroa was landing more, it was Ball with the cleaner, more eye-catching shots. The contest was getting tighter and harder to score as the rounds continued. The 12th and final round approached and it appeared from ringside that both men needed it to secure the win.

Figueroa came out and instantly fired a left hand that crashed across Ball’s chin, with the champion falling to the canvas. You could have heard a pin drop in the arena as Ball lay face down on the canvas. Ball seemed to spark into life and stumble up before the referee Gray’s count reached 10. It could have easily been stopped then, but Gray gave the champion an opportunity to get through the crisis. Figueroa came right at Ball, smashing the champion’s head and body as he lay helplessly on the ropes. Ball tumbled through the ropes. He again bravely tried to climb up, but Gray had seen enough and waved off proceedings.

Things got ugly after the stoppage. Figueroa’s team, understandably joyous, jumped in the ring and Ball’s corner didn’t take too kindly to their celebrations. Stablemates Andrew Cain and Brad Strand instantly jumped through the ropes but were held back by security. Ball’s Liverpool crowd made their presence known, hurling drinks into the ring at Figueroa’s corner in ugly scenes. Thankfully, order was quickly restored.

The now 23-1-1 (13 KOs) Ball was met with a cheer as he finally returned to his feet, but the night belonged to the relentless Figueroa, who yet again lived up to his "Heartbreaker" moniker.