Isaac Dogboe admits he had ‘go look him up’ ahead of featherweight title eliminator with Nick Ball

The Ghanaian-British 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 wasn’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 style of fighting compared to Ball’s, adding: “I’ve been tried and tested. I’ve been in the sea and I’ve swam with the big fishes.

“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.

His latest fight came in May when he defended that title against former IBO bantamweight champion Ludumo Lamati.

Ball admitted he was excited for Saturday’s bout, adding that he had been waiting for a chance to fight for a world championship title all his life.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Ball said. “It’s a massive fight and one that I’ve been waiting for all my life.

“Now I’m in touching distance of it. This is a final eliminator for a world title. So I can’t let it slip now.”

He is currently undefeated, with the 26-year-old having previously fought 18 times, but admitted he was not worried about putting his record on the line during the fight.

Ball said: “Every fight’s a risk isn’t it? Every time you step in the ropes there’s a risk. So yeah.”

The Liverpool-born fighter added that he would let his fighting do the talking, before paying respect to his opponent.

He said: “It would be out of character for me sitting here telling you what I’m going to do. I’m the type to show you. Saturday night I get the chance to show you. So it’s not long to wait now if you can wait and I’ll show you.

“He’s [Dogboe] a good fighter, obviously, otherwise he wouldn’t be at this level.”

Ball shrugged off having less experience than his opponent, before citing Dogboe’s three professional defeats.

“It’s as hard as I make it,” Ball said when asked if this will be a hard fight. “He’s speaking about experience and things like that, he’s had more experience than me in terms of getting beat.

“He has experience getting beat at this level but I’m not coming to get beat. I’m looking to take over so that’s different.”

His comments sparked a frosty response from Dogboe who hit back, saying: “He’s got experience in beating nobodies.

“When we go through the records you don’t need to talk too much just let the records show. Who has he really fought at the end of the day?

“Super bantamweights and whatever. Like I said it’s a different ball game when you come to this level. All that buzz it’s going to be a car crash if he brings it to the table on Saturday night.”