THE UNBEATEN MIDLANDS puncher Danny Ball has joined the welterweight ranks at Queensberry Promotions and will now fight under the Frank Warren banner.
The 23-year-old, who holds a record of 9-0-1 (4 KOs), enjoyed a major career breakthrough in October of last year when he upset the odds from the away corner in Ellesmere Port and stopped the home fighter and highly regarded Mason Cartwright inside three rounds to claim the vacant WBC International Silver title.
It was a statement performance that signalled a new force arriving on the welterweight scene that includes now fellow Queensberry fighters in Chris Jenkins, Johnny Garton and new boy Ekow Essuman.
The clinical finish clearly caught the eye of those charged with recruitment at Queensberry, who quickly registered an interest.
“I can hardly believe it because it is such a massive thing and a massive opportunity for me,” reacted the Kingswinford-based Ball to his career development.
“Just after I won my WBC belt back in October my manager Errol (Johnson) said there had been contact and there was some interest in me. Then it went quiet for a bit and I didn’t think anything was going to come of it, but then the contract came through so I signed it on the same day and sent it straight back!
“It was an unbelievable feeling,” added Ball, who knew full well that he wasn’t drafted in for a shot at his belt with any expectation of him pulling off a victory.
“I don’t think anybody expected it apart from me and my team really. Everything was geared up for him to win it. He sold about 500 tickets, while I took about 100 up to Ellesmere Port with me and took it away from him as soon as I had the opportunity. I took it with both hands and I was always confident of winning the fight anyway.
“One hundred per cent it was my breakthrough and when we took it I said straight away that I was confident of beating him. It took me a couple of rounds to warm into the fight, but he didn’t faze me and when the opportunity came I got him out of there.”
Boxing runs through the Ball family with his uncle, Shaun Cooper, being a veteran of over 90 fights and captained the England amateur team, while his brother Jamie is the Midlands Area champion at super welterweight.
Danny himself departed the amateur scene at the age of 15 after 12 fights, of which he won nine. A rise in weight due to the inactivity led him to the white collar circuit to get fit, where he took part in 15 fights and won them all.
He made his professional debut with a first round stoppage in July 2017.
While he reckons it won’t be himself that starts any flirting with the more established 147-pounders, he insists he will not shy away if any of them are ready to sign up for battle.
“I don’t think I am in a position to call anyone out, but if they come to me I wouldn’t turn it down. I am 110 per cent confident of getting in there with anyone in the top five or ten in the rankings. No problem.
“I don’t think I have hit my prime in my body yet so just keep putting them in front of me and I will keep taking them out, then hopefully I will get the opportunity of another belt on the way up.
“It is a boring time at the moment but I am glad of the time with my little girl. I have been ticking over doing my road runs and exercises in the garden. I am just getting itchy to start punching again now.”
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DANNY BALL’S FIRST INTERVIEW AS A QUEENSBERRY FIGHTER IS AVAILABLE NOW! WATCH THE LATEST INSTALMENT OF ‘LOCKDOWN LOWDOWN’ HERE
