Image source, Getty Images

It's not often that you reach the pinnacle of your career, challenging for a world title, but barely have a camera lens turned in your direction all week.

Well, that is the scenario Liverpool's Nick Ball has found himself in over the past few days.

The 27-year-old fights WBC featherweight champion Rey Vargas.

Ball had a reputation of being a hard-hitting knockout artist when he signed with Queensberry Promotions in 2020 and he has maintained that reputation over the past few years, earning seven stoppages in eight wins since to take his overall record to 19-0.

As is the case for many boxers, earning the right to fight on a grand stage such as this one tonight in Saudi Arabia has been an arduous journey.

Ball's professional debut took place in a Liverpool nightclub in 2017, sealing a points win over four rounds.

His first stoppage victory arrived in his sixth fight and he now boasts 11 knockouts in 19 unbeaten trips to the ring.

If Ball extends his record to 20-0 tonight, he will become Britain's first new world champion since Savannah Marshall in July 2023.

The last Briton to hold the WBC featherweight belt was Naseem Hamed in 1999 and Ball could become just the fourth Brit to hold the title at featherweight, but the second to hail from Liverpool after Paul Hodkinson, who was champion between 1991 and 1993.

Wales' Howard Winstone was the other Briton to win the belt in 1968.

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh

Just what we needed. A stoppage win to get the timings back on track.

It's gone midnight here in Saudi. Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou are expected to enter the ring around 02:20 local time.

Oh!

We aren't going the distance in the vacant WBA light-middleweight title fight, it's just finished in round five with Israil Madrimov earning a stoppage win.

That was a very impressive performance from Uzbekistan's Madrimov to claim his 11th professional win.

Next up is Nick Ball facing WBC featherweight champion Rey Vargas.

Image source, Matchroom

BBC Radio 5 Live

You can listen to live radio commentary of Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou as well as the preceding undercard bout between Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang and the contest between Rey Vargas and Nick Ball.

The radio coverage, led by Steve Bunce and Adam Smith, has just started so hit the audio button at the top of this live coverage to tune in.

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh

The biggest cheer of the night so far comes as football manager Jose Mourinho takes his ringside seat. The second loudest was for boxing legend Manny Pacquiao about 10 minutes ago.

Right, we are running behind on tonight's schedule.

We were expecting to see Nick Ball make his ringwalk to face WBC featherweight champion Rey Vargas at 21:20 GMT, but that is very unlikely to be the case.

Israil Madrimov and Magomed Kurbanov are just five rounds into their 12 round contest for the vacant WBA light-middleweight title.

It looks like we're set for a late one, though.

Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou were due to be fighting at 23:20 GMT but it could be after midnight when that happens now.

I'll keep you posted on how that plays out

Image source, Getty Images

It's remarkable to think that by the close of play tonight Francis Ngannou will have fought two of the greatest heavyweights of the current era and have just two professional fights on his record.

Ngannou's star power is right up there after climbing to the very top in the mixed martial arts world, holding the UFC heavyweight title.

If he manages to stun Joshua then the opportunities are only going to continue coming in his direction.

Promoter Eddie Hearn predicted his fighter Joshua will become undisputed champion, with Friday's winner a potential next opponent for either Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury - most likely in 2025.

Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBO and IBF titles, faces WBC belt-holder Fury in May for the undisputed heavyweight title, with a rematch already agreed.

"I'm just getting started. I don't think that [beating Joshua] will make any statement of my career because the road is still long," Ngannou said.

"I really think I haven't shocked the world yet," he said, adding he is "still learning" the art of boxing.

Image source, Getty Images

British fight fans have been torn between supporting Olympic gold medallist and two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua or WBC champion Tyson Fury for the best part of a decade.

The burning question is who would win the super-fight?

We hope that one day we will get an answer but for now we will have to speculate how it might play out.

In December Joshua dismantled Otto Wallin, the Swede who gave Fury a gruelling night's work four years prior, inside six rounds.

"I always favoured Fury if they ever fought," Wallin tells BBC Sport. "I felt Joshua was a really good style for Fury and Fury would pick him apart, but now after I've been with Joshua I think it will be a tougher fight than I imagined."

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh

There has been a solid media turnout in fight week, testament to the stature of Joshua and Ngannou, but – from what I’ve seen - very little interest from the locals.

Most taxi drivers or Riyadh residents I’ve spoken to have not known anything about this event. I can’t recall seeing any billboards advertising the card.

Joshua - who is fighting in Saudi for the fourth time - took some selfies and fist bumped fans here and there, but he has not been mobbed by any stretch of the imagination.

Image source, Getty Images

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou came in almost a stone and a half heavier than Anthony Joshua at Friday's weigh-in.

Ngannou, making just his second trip to the ring as a professional boxer, weighed in at 19st 6lb with Joshua hitting the scales at 18st, bringing an end to what has been a very cordial fight week build-up.

"Official prediction? I deliver, I'm the postman," Joshua said.

Cameroon's Ngannou is two pounds heavier than when he lost against WBC champion Tyson Fury in October.

"This is just my second boxing match, even though I am taking on the two best guys in the world in boxing," Ngannou said.

"I am going in there to prove that you can be the underdog and make it and stand my ground."

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh

Welcome to ‘knockout chaos’ in Saudi Arabia for what is an incredibly intriguing heavyweight battle, although this Friday night boxing will take a little getting used to.

The resurgent Anthony Joshua is on a fine run as he chases that dream of becoming a three time world champion.

But in Francis Ngannou he faces a man monster who has nothing to lose. He took Tyson Fury to the wire but we still don’t really know how good of a boxer he is.

Buckle in for the ride. I have a feeling it will be a thriller.

Image source, Getty Images

Tonight's card carries the tagline 'Knockout Chaos', let's hope it lives up to that very optimistic billing.

Of course, the headline act in Saudi Arabia is the heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou, scheduled for 10 rounds.

Prior to those two giants getting in the ring, we've got another heavyweight contest with Zhilei Zhang defending his interim WBO title against Joseph Parker.

And we also have a world title fight at featherweight with Liverpool's Nick Ball facing WBC champion Rey Vargas.

It's a stacked card in Riyadh and it promises to be an interesting night of boxing.