How Liverpool boxer who’d run 16 miles in steel toe cap boots became world champ

Liverpool boxer Nick Ball has put in the hard graft to become champion of the world – and it all began with an agony-inducing 16-mile run in steel toe cap boots.

However, there was no coach involved in constructing this trial of strength and stamina. In fact, the newly crowned WBA featherweight titleholder didn't even have a trainer when he decided to make the lengthy journey home from his job as a plasterer.

Instead, Kirkby-born Ball was fighting to reignite his career prospects after briefly losing hope of a future in combat sports. The former Muay Thai junior world champion had success as an amateur boxer before joining his dad's business for a couple of years, and he was halfway through a job when he thought, "I shouldn't be here."

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"I just got off. I actually ran home from the site," Ball, 27, told Mirror Sport as he remembered the moment his life as a tradesman ended and his days as a pro boxer began. "I said [to my dad], 'I'm not doing this anymore,' and he was shocked. He said, 'You're not. You're finishing this.' So we actually had a bit of a row. It was a bit of a mad situation.

"He was a bit angry at the time. But then he stopped and saw I was being serious. And I ran home 16 miles in steel toecap boots, and the worst part about it [was] I was locked out the house. So I had to just sit outside, and my feet were bleeding.

"Then when he came home, he saw me outside and just gave me a big hug. And my mum gave me a big hug when she came in. It was an emotional time, that. And since then, I thought, 'I know what I want now. I know what I'm doing.'"

The boxing world is all the richer for having Ball as part of it, especially after his split-decision triumph over Raymond Ford earlier in June, where he clinched the WBA title. The biggest win of his career to date was close but well-earned, especially coming off the back of a contentious draw against Rey Vargas that nearly saw him take the WBC belt first.

Ball's journey to the pinnacle of boxing is a testament to his determination, particularly given his expulsion from school as a teen for having "too much energy." The Queensberry star's ascent reinforces the idea that traditional education isn't everyone's path to success; sometimes, it's about finding the right outlet for one's passion.

Fresh from a week-long break in Dubai, Ball – whose last two fights were each in Saudi Arabia – has wasted no time getting back to training, eyeing another opportunity at the WBC title, which he refers to as "his belt." The undefeated boxer, with a record of 20-0-1, was greeted as a hero in his hometown of Kirkby, where a blast from his past awaited.

"It's actually mad, because the builder who we were working with [when I left plastering to run home] was there," he recounted. "And he said, 'We need to get back and finish that wall.' It's amazing to reflect on how far you've come."

Having left his first job to pivot towards boxing full time, Ball is still appreciative of those days spent working with his father, whom he credits for his strong work ethic. While confident about his journey towards the global championship, some scepticism may have crept in during those days away from his first love.

In the confined space of the boxing ring, Ball embodies relentless tenacity, often overwhelming rivals with an aggressive offensive. However, his demeanour outside the ring is markedly tranquil in comparison, and this contrast is highlighted by his response when questioned about his ultimate aim away from the sport.

"Looking after the people around me and seeing what I can do for them," he replied. "It's always been a dream of mine, looking after my mum and dad and friends. You know you always dream of it? When it happens, you just want more and more."