Although Figueroa was up on two of the scorecards, he ensured a decision wasn't needed by closing the show with a furious finish, bludgeoning Ball with a devastating left hook eight seconds into the final frame. The punch left his rival planted face-first on the canvas, and Figueroa finished him with a quick barrage soon after, forcing the referee to wave off the fight.

Figueroa (27-2-1, 20 KOs) is still on cloud nine following the win and recently joined “Inside The Ring” to discuss the landmark win that revived his standing in the sport.

“It was probably the biggest fight of my career, and I went to Liverpool and gave it my all,” said Figueroa. “We'd seen his fights, and by the eighth round, he was pretty gassed. His engine was not as big as mine. So our gameplan was to use abilities, movement, defense, have him miss, take him to deep waters, and drown him. My trainer, Manny Robles, told me to leave it all in the ring in the 12th round and to push more. He knew I could do more, and I did exactly that.”

The fight marked Figueroa’s second camp training with Robles, a respected coach who has a knack for leading his fighters to upset wins in big fights. Robles guided Andy Ruiz Jr. for his 2019 stunner against Anthony Joshua, and Jose Armando Resendiz for his decision win against Caleb Plant in May.

Figueroa, a two-division titleholder, said his chemistry with Robles is peaking at optimum levels, and the tape further backed his claim.

Figueroa appeared much sharper than he did in his recent loss in a rematch against Stephen Fulton 12 months ago. Both of Figueroa’s losses have come against Fulton by decision, with the other being in 2021. Figueroa’s first fight with Robles was in July, a unanimous decision win against Joet Gonzalez.

“The Heartbreaker” Figueroa, a 29-year-old from Weslaco, Texas, elaborated on how he fed off the hostile crowd’s energy.

“I walked into Led Zeppelin's ‘Heartbreaker,’ and it felt like a Rocky movie, when he went to Russia and fought Ivan Drago,” said Figueroa. “All of the fans were flipping me off. The UK fans had a thrilling energy. I went in there and gave it my all. This is just the start of what I can do and how far I can go.”

Figueroa, The Ring’s No. 5-rated contender at 126 pounds, now appears to be headed for bigger and better things. He has already secured an invitation to fight on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez’s return on September 12 in Saudi Arabia in an event billed as “Mexico vs. The World.”

In recent days, Figueroa also had a face-to-face encounter with WBC champion Bruce Carrington, calling for a clash.

“It's amazing that people from all around got to see my skills and abilities. It's amazing that everything came together,” said Figueroa. “Of course, I am here to fight the best. Rafael Espinoza, Angelo Leo, Bruce Carrington – any of the champions. I went to Nick Ball's backyard to fight, so that says everything you need to know about me. I'm willing to fight anyone at any place and at any time. I never shy away from a fight.”

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.