BOXING : “I have no idea who Nick Ball is”- Isaac Dogboe on opponent

British Boxer Nick Ball and Isaac Dogboe from Ghana will do battle as the main card of Saturday’s Magnificent Seven boxing event at the AO Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom.

The fighters will square off in an elimination fight as they both eye up a shot at the WBC featherweight title.

Ball comes into this bout the less experienced fighter but admitted his opponent’s previous record didn’t phase him.

Isaac Dogboe has claimed he had to look Nick Ball up before their WBC featherweight championship eliminator, which will be the main bout on Saturday’s Magnificent Seven event.

The Ghanaian fighter is currently ranked second in the WBC featherweight rankings and takes on Ball for a shot at the featherweight title.

During his 27-fight career, the 29-year-old has fought some big names in the division including Emanuel Navarrete and Cesar Juarez, but has admitted he did not know who his upcoming opponent was when the fight was first announced.

“If it weren’t for this fight, I wouldn’t have heard of Nick Ball,” he said in their pre-fight press conference on Tuesday. “When the name came up that was when it was put across to me by Top Rank and I had to go look him up. But listen he’s done well and credit to him and his team.

“However, I can only think of what I’m going to do on the night – that’s what is important and that’s what the fans are coming to see.”

Dogboe goes into the fight off the back of a unanimous decision loss against Robeisy Ramirez, the third defeat of his career.

Yet the former WBO junior featherweight champion believes he has the experience to beat Ball, claiming he has squared off with more accomplished fighters in the past.

Dogboe said:

“Listen if you look at my pedigree you know that I come as the whole package. I mean listen, we leave the past in the past.

“Always focus on the future and that’s giving the fans a great fight and I’m sure everybody can agree that when I step into the ring it’s guaranteed excitement. So that’s also part of it.”

He fielded questions on his fighting style compared to Ball’s, adding:

“I’ve been tried and tested. I’ve been in the sea and I’ve swam with the big fish.

“This is nothing new to me. I’ve fought people who have the pressure, who do everything else by the book and outside of the box.

“This is something where I need to keep calm and as the fight unfolds make adjustments along the way.”

Despite all his experience, he comes up against Ball who sits top of the featherweight rankings, having gone undefeated during his career, while also claiming the WBC silver title in a thrilling clash against Isaac Lowe last year at Wembley.