WBA featherweight champion Ball, The Ring’s third-rated contender at the weight, will make the fourth defence of his title at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena on February 7 against Mexico’s Figueroa (26-2-1, 19 KOs).

 In the aftermath of his victory over Sam Goodman at ANB Arena, Riyadh in August, Ball made no secret of his desire to secure a crack at one of the other alphabet titles in his next outing but that has not been the case.

Ball is just one of three fighters who currently holds a major title, with another two interim champions while Rey Vargas, who Ball drew with back in 2024, is the WBC’s champion in recess. 

The Liverpool man is desperate for a chance to prove he is the division’s top dog by facing another of the champions and, when asked whether a lack of opportunities to do so has been frustrating, he said: “Yeah it has.

 “They're the fights I want to be in to get the other belts. I've defended my belt now three times and this is going to be the fourth. After that, I think they are the only fights to make; big unification fights against the other champions. So, hopefully that can happen.

“People ask me why am I not getting these unifications fights but the fighter can’t do anything about it. We will fight anyone, we don’t care. But this is boxing and it’s a business. 

 “It’s easier said than done making one of those fights, everyone’s got to agree to everything, terms and conditions, blah blah blah. So I just try to keep focused and keep listening to the people around me, I train hard and keep my feet on the ground so everything else will take care of itself. My sights are set on this next fight only.”

There is currently no Ring champion at featherweight, with WBO king Rafael Espinoza (27-0, 23 KOs) at one and Angelo Leo (26-1, 12 KOs), who holds the IBF belt, at two. But Figueroa, who sits at No .8, does not represent an easy out for Ball despite the oddsmakers giving him little chance of victory in Liverpool.

On what will be his 11th straight 12-round fight, Ball said: “Look they’re all hard now aren’t they? We know what we’re signing up for with this boxing game.

 “But we don’t want it any other way, I like it the hard way because when you’ve earned it, nobody can take it away from you. I haven’t been handed anything, I haven’t been given anything. When you’ve worked your whole life for something, what you’re getting is yours and you’re keeping it, you’re defending it with everything that you’ve got.”