Andrew Cain delivered one of the best wins of his career in Liverpool, stopping Mexican bantamweight contender Alejandro Gonzalez in dramatic fashion after surviving a brutal scare late in the fight.
Cain’s performance should have stood on its own. Instead, disorder in the ring later dragged attention away from what he had just achieved.
Cain Survives A Body-Shot Crisis To Stop Gonzalez
The WBC bantamweight title eliminator was fought at a hard pace from the opening bell, with both men willing to trade and neither looking to step back.
Cain’s composure was tested in the eighth round when Gonzalez landed a sickening body shot that sent the Liverpudlian to the canvas.
Still struggling to catch his breath, Cain was forced to take another knee as Gonzalez pressed, leaving just ten seconds remaining in the round and the fight appearing to swing away from him.
Cain then emerged for the ninth, looking recovered and immediately changed the tone. A sharp knockdown shifted everything before he landed flush again, sending Gonzalez back to the canvas.
With Gonzalez unable to respond, the referee stepped in to halt the contest.
Post-Fight Scenes After Ball-Figueroa Take Spotlight
In the main event two bouts later, Brandon Figueroa stopped Nick Ball with a crushing left hand seconds into the final round. Ball was badly hurt and needed attention in the ring before he was fully aware of his surroundings. Full fight results.
As Figueroa’s team reacted to the magnitude of the win, celebrations began while Ball was still being attended to. The reaction appeared to trigger anger from sections of the crowd and members of Ball’s gym, with items then thrown toward the ring.
Amid the confusion, Cain became involved, appearing to move toward a member of Figueroa’s team. Footage later circulating online and reviewed by World Boxing News appeared to show Cain lashing out with his legs during the melee.
Whether contact was made is unclear from the available video, as the view is obstructed by the number of people involved.
Social media reaction was swift, with many suggesting the incident took shine off what had been an outstanding comeback victory for Cain.
At the time of writing, it remains unknown whether any formal complaint has been lodged or whether the matter will be reviewed further.
Cain’s win remains a major step forward. The problem for him is that the conversation afterward moved away from a ninth-round statement and toward an incident that did him no favors.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
