Danny Ball facing six months out of the ring

The 25-year-old was due to be released from hospital yesterday having undergone surgery to repair two fractures sustained during the bout at Birmingham’s Utilita Area.

Ball, challenging Essuman for the British and European titles, was stopped in the sixth round following a barrage of punches from his Nottingham opponent.

Trainer Richie Ghent explained: “Danny knew straight away something wasn’t right. When Essuman was attacking he was reluctant to drop his hands because he said it felt as though his jaw was hanging off.

“He went straight to hospital after the fight and the good news is the surgery was a success and he is in good spirits.

“Obviously, he is devastated to have lost the fight. We felt he was starting to find his stride but he was just caught by one of those shots which can change the momentum.”

Ball, who went into the fight unbeaten in 11 professional bouts, had troubled Essuman in the fourth round of the contest.

But the end was brutal, Essuman catching him flush with a right hand before Ball went down after being pinned in the corner.

Though the defeat and injury was the first setback of his career, Ghent believes the time spent away from the ring could actually be beneficial.

He said: “What people forget about Danny is he is still only 25 and his last four fights now have been wars.

“He’s already shown he can mix it with some of the best in the country. Now he’s going to need a bit of time to recuperate and aim to be back around March or April next year.

“I’ve no doubt he will learn from Saturday and come back stronger. He is a warrior.

“In some respects it is back to the drawing board but we’ve got a bit of time now to build him back up.”