JJ McDonagh wants “easy money” rematch with Jake Ball

He may have stopped him within a round back in November, but JJ McDonagh would like to trade leather with Jake Ball once again.

The Irish super middleweight champion took a short-notice step up in weight to take on Matchroom starlet Ball last November in London on the card which featured Katie Taylor’s pro debut.

Mullingar’s McDonagh [14(7)-3(1)] scored a destructive win that night over the young light heavyweight, knocking him over the ropes and then leaving him near unconscious on the canvas to win the WBA International belt, a strap he immediately vacated.

Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn would suggest a rematch in the aftermath, noting that Ball [8(7)-1(1)] stunned McDonagh in the opening seconds, and a return innings is something which appeals to the Irish boxer.

“Bring it on!” said McDonagh. “It’s easy money for me!”

“I wasn’t training in the run up to that fight and I cleaned him out in a round. Imagine what I could do on a full camp, I’d smash him to pieces. I assure you, if I hit him he hits the canvas.”

Ball returned on St Patrick’s Day, stopping Olegs Fedotovs inside a round on the inaugural Matchroom NXTGEN card, a show which also featured Irishmen Paul Hyland Jr and Jay Byrne.

McDonagh was unimpressed, and felt the match-up was indicative of the sort of short-sighted matchmaking which some criticise Matchroom for.

“It’s very easy to KO somebody who isn’t in there to fight back. I wouldn’t read too much into that win at all,” argued McDonagh.

“He made mistakes in the run up to our fight, fighting opponents that were below par and he’s making the same mistake now.”

“He throws a lot of punches, that’s his style, but when you get used to throwing that many and something finally comes back, you’re very easy to hit.”

In terms of his next fight, McDonagh is expecting news soon, and he outlined how “I’ve been training hard so I’m going to sit down with my management, Assassin Promotions and see where things are.”

“The rematch [v Ball] is one of a number of options but let’s see what happens over the next couple of weeks.”