Over the past 18 months, WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball has kept the busiest schedule in top-level boxing.

In March 2024, Ball had to settle for a controversial, unfortunate draw with WBC titleholder Rey Vargas in Saudi Arabia. Three months later he returned to Riyadh and snatched the WBA belt away from quality American Raymond Ford.

Rather than sitting on his title, Ball has worked hard to consolidate his position at the top of the 126-pound rankings. He notched up solid victories over former junior featherweight titleholder T.J. Doheny and Ronny Rios.

Last month, the Liverpudlian made the third successful defence of his title by outpointing Sam Goodman.

Ball’s trainer, Paul Stevenson, is back at his Everton Red Triangle gym preparing his stable of fighters for a busy end to 2025.

Ball himself is taking a well-deserved break.

"He's probably going to box again after Christmas, probably February, I would think," Stevenson told The Ring.

"There's two ways looking at it. He's had five world title fights in about a year. On one hand you want to maximise your prime and your youth, but at the same time got to be careful you don't burn out.

"A good break for him. He'll have a nice Christmas, he's had a great year and he'll come back nice and fresh in February."

The unheralded Goodman gave Ball a solid workout. The Australian boxed well and his jab, movement and heart posed Ball some problems.

Although admitting afterwards that he wasn't at his rampaging best, Ball showed his experience. He negotiated the rounds well and deservedly retained his title with a wide unanimous decision.

Given the circumstances, Stevenson was satisfied with how Ball performed.

“'There were] a few things going on. At that level, you very rarely go through a camp without little injuries, without niggles and everything else but even with that said, he probably feels it wasn't his best performance. Goodman done a decent job of making it tricky," Stevenson said.

"I know the commentary on the telly thought it was quite close on points, but if the rounds were all close I felt we were winning most of them. In the corner, I was telling him, 'We've got to be up quite a bit.'"

Goodman was an undefeated, accomplished fighter who, late last year, found himself on the verge of a fight with Ring and undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue.

That Ball was so heavily favoured to beat him is an illustration of just how far he has come in a short space of time.

"Yeah, it does. Because he was tough. It was just tricky for Nick to pin him down the way we wanted to," Stevenson said.

"But, as I say, [Goodman] is good and he'll probably go on to prove that again in his next few fights. So, I was happy with it anyway."

Ball burst onto the world stage. Those high-level world title fights with Vargas and Ford were preceded by a quality win over former 122-pound titleholder Isaac Dogboe.

His defences against Rios, Doheny and Goodman have given the 28-year-old time to improve and put some money in the bank but, in an ideal world, Stevenson would like him to return to the very highest level.

For a time, it looked like Ball would welcome multi-weight champion Inoue to the featherweight division. For the foreseeable future, it looks like the Japanese superstar will remain at 122 but there are plenty of other major challenges.

"Personally, I'd like that Angelo Leo fight, a unification," Stevenson said.

"It'd be great and just what he needs, really. Another real challenge. A big fight and cement his legacy because a lot of people complain about the level of opposition.

"But compare them to the other featherweight champions. Have a look. Check BoxRec.

"Nick's been very active, busy and keeping it going. I think [IBF titleholder] Angelo Leo's had one defence. [WBO champion] Rafael Espinoza's had [three]. Very average opponents, both of them. Nick's been just keeping busy, doing sound.

"Obviously, Inoue is doing different things now. We were hoping for him but he's not the be all and end all. There's other fights out there so a unification would be great for Nick."