Riyadh has become a happy hunting ground for Nick Ball.

More than a year ago, the Liverpudlian flew to Saudi Arabia to challenge Mexico's Rey Vargas for the WBC featherweight title. Although settling for a controversial draw, his performance changed the course of his life. Three months later, he returned, tearing the WBA belt away from then-unbeaten new champion Raymond Ford.

This weekend, Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs) returns to the Saudi capital for his third title defence against Australia's Sam Goodman (20-0, 8 KOs).

Ball-Goodman is part of the Esports World Cup Fight Week card and will be streamed exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view.

Ball, The Ring's No. 3 126-pounder, likes to spend as much time as possible in the shadows but a Saudi fight week requires him to spend five days under the brightest spotlight boxing can provide.

The 28-year-old genuinely appreciates the way his life has changed over the past 18 months and has grown accustomed to the unique demands of fighting in The Kingdom.

Whilst he isn't ever going to hold court at a press conference or reel off a list of carefully prepared wisecracks during the endless media rounds, he's happy to throw himself into the week's events before retreating to his quiet life.

"That's what comes with it and what we sign up for," Ball told The Ring. "The fight week and all that is good, the way it gets promoted is good. It's next level, isn't it? And the money's better, so yeah, I do like them.

"We're the ones risking our lives, so we should be getting the rewards."

Over the past year, speculation that Ball will face undisputed junior featherweight champion, Naoya Inoue, at 126 has gathered momentum.

Plans are in place for Inoue, the Ring champion, to make his own Riyadh Season debut in December. That puts him firmly in Ball's orbit.

The eight-year pro has been answering questions about Inoue for some time and is well aware he'll be asked about a potential clash with the Japanese superstar almost as much as he will about Goodman.

Ball was never supposed to reach this level. He made his professional debut in a nightclub and made his bones in venues such as Greenbank Sports Academy. It took him almost seven years to reach world title level. Had he tried to take a shortcut or allowed himself to dream about the future, there is every chance he would have fallen off track.

That attitude is now ingrained in him. Although Ball understands the way modern boxing promotion works, he isn't going to allow Inoue talk to distract him from the task at hand.

"It is good promotion but his name's doing me head in now and my name to him is probably doing his head in," Ball said with a laugh. "It's got to be done though, hasn't it?"

"It could [distract] if you weren't focused, but I am. I know that fight's not going to happen if I don't beat this next guy, it only takes one punch in boxing. This fella could catch me so I'm fully focused on him. Otherwise, this next fight's not happening, is it?

"I'm strong-minded. That way I can speak about it and stay focused so it doesn't matter to me."