Top trainer Paul Stevenson discusses his stable, including Nick Ball, Andrew Cain and Peter McGrail: “We’re just getting started!”

In 2024, Everton Red Triangle’s head coach, Paul Stevenson, celebrated his first-ever world champion in Nick Ball, who is also the first world champion to come from the century-old gym in Liverpool.

“The Wrecking Ball” became the WBA World featherweight champion in June this year when he defeated titleholder Raymond Ford as part of the Queensberry-Matchroom 5 vs 5 event in Saudi Arabia.

Paul confidently claims that he is just getting started and enthusiastically looked ahead to the future for his stable of seven professional boxing prospects. He spoke exclusively to SportsBoom to reveal what can be expected from the exciting gym in the UK right now.

NICK BALL 21-0-1, 12KO

27-year-old Nick Ball will be a strong contender for Fighter of the Year in 2024. The Liverpool “Wrecking Ball” decked WBC World featherweight king Rey Vargas multiple times during their March meeting in the Kingdom Arena, Saudi Arabia, yet was cruelly denied by a draw on the dubious scorecards, of which promoter Frank Warren was very vocal in his displeasure at the ringside judging.

However, he was back in the ring less than three months later to win the WBA bauble from Raymond Ford to become the ERT Gym’s first-ever world champion in their 100-year history.

“It’s the gym’s first world champion and my first world champion,” Paul told SportsBoom.com with pride.

Ball is one of four reigning world champions at the weight and has his eyes firmly set on the other three – Brandon Figueroa (WBC), Angelo Leo (IBF), Rafael Espinoza (WBO).

“Nick really feels like that WBC belt is his property,” Stevenson revealed. “The belt has changed hands now, Rey Vargas has been made champion-in-recess and they’ve installed the Interim champion Brandon Figueroa as the full champion, so if you asked Nick, then that’s the one I think he’d want because he wants to put that to rights”.

One judge scored the contest with Vargas at 116-110 to Ball, which seemed reflective of the 12-rounds that saw the experienced Mexican dropped in rounds eight and 11, however another judge viewed it 114-112 the other way, and the third man at ringside called it an even 113-113.

Frank Warren wasn’t the only one upset at the scoring, Paul reflected, “I thought the referee did a bad job and the judges were shocking. 

“That was that referee’s first world title fight and giving him such a potentially difficult assignment; where there were big differences in height, style and approach was asking for trouble. A fight like that needed an experienced referee.

“What did I say afterwards? I was very angry with it, but Nick has got crazy focus and said, ‘that’s done, we’re moving on’. We could have dwelt on that, and we could have moped around, and it could have been a terrible thing for us to take, but we’re not those kinds of people.

Ball has already made a successful maiden defence of his WBA belt against Ronny Rios (TKO 10) in his Liverpool homecoming in October. When asked if Ball would be targeting unification fights next, Paul responded rapidly, “Yeah, 100 per cent. We want Nick in legacy-making fights. He’s at that level, he’s shown that.

“He beat two of the four featherweight world champions back-to-back in consecutive fights. No one is doing that in world boxing. That kind of thing hasn’t been seen since the days of Henry Armstrong.

“If a British fighter had beaten [Canelo] Alvarez and [Gennadiy] Golovkin back-to-back, for example, then you’d have something to talk about. It’s very rare that they take on the best fighters at the weight to win a world title, but that’s what Nick’s done and why he deserves all the credit and recognition.”

PETER MCGRAIL 10-1, 6 KOs

Commonwealth Games champion and Olympian Peter McGrail is a product of the success of Everton Red Triangle’s amateur and pro setup.

Signed to Matchroom, the 28-year-old is fighting just days before Christmas on the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk 2 card in Riyadh. The southpaw is challenging European super-bantamweight champion and fellow Brit, Dennis McCann, and preparation is in full swing.

“Peters in top form in the gym. When you give Peter a challenge, he just rises to them, so he’s the happiest man in the world right now.

“Training is going great and he’s bang on the money, and he’s really happy in himself because this is his time now. 

“He’s fought all those different styles over amateur and pro, picking up priceless knowledge and experience along the way, so were looking forward to a great contest, a big win for Peter, then onto a world title in 2025. 

Two of Nick Ball’s three world title fights this year took place in Saudi Arabi, which is where McGrail’s clash with McCann occurs. Its Pete’s first fight in the Kingdom, yet its familiar territory for “The Scouse Lomachenko”, as he’s known in Liverpool.

“This will be the third time,” Stevenson confirmed of the Middle East location. “Usually, the team will go out – whoever’s boxing and myself and Anthony Humpheys, and then a couple of days later, the rest of the stable will come out. We train together out there as a team, support each other, stand together.

“And seeing it all come true… Nick’s the first one; Andrew will come through, Peter will come through, Joe McGrail will come through… the rest of my stable, all of those lads will follow that plan, I have no doubts.”

JOE MCGRAIL 11-0, 5 KOs

Peter’s younger brother Joe McGrail is six years younger, but turned pro at the same time in 2021 with the same promotion and have each experienced 11 pro fights.

His older brother can cast a pretty a big shadow under the abundance of his amateur accolades and high expectations, but Joe is carving out his own path and destiny in the sport, all under the expert, careful guidance of Stevenson.

“Joe’s 22. Matchroom signed him on ability, not on his second name. He’s learning his craft and starting to come through, and he’s going to surprise a lot of people.”

Joe is unbeaten in 11 bouts, against the usual suspects in this early stage, but three of his last four foes have had winning records, which is a statement of intent as he heads into 2025, looking to step up in class.

Siblings Peter and Joe are signed to Matchroom Boxing, whereas Paul’s other quintet of combatants fight under the Queensberry banner.

Stevenson lifted the lid on what it’s like working with the two different promotions, “It’s all boxing business; both are very professional organisations, they’re very supportive of the boxers, and they’re men of their word.”

BRAD STRAND 12-1, 4 KOs

Super-bantamweight Brad Strand was an ABA Elite champion and possesses a very disciplined, regimented style of boxing, where everything is crisp, technical and impeccable. 

His sole career defeat came from Peter McGrail’s forthcoming foe, Dennis McCann. Strand won his first professional title in December 2021 against Welshman Joshua John, winning the vacant WBO European super-bantamweight title via unanimous decision. Three months later, he challenged Dennis the Menace for his British and Commonwealth super-bantam titles, but was dropped for the first time in his career in the second round, and lost unanimously after a valiant effort.

Stevenson provided an update on his next fight, “Brad’s going into a WBO European title fight in January in London against Lewis Frimpong. I watched one of his fights against Frankie Storey who he stopped in the eighth round.

“He’ll bring a good test, but this is Brad’s time, and he has to make his own assault on the summit.”

BOMA BROWN 5-0, 3 KOs

Stevenson’s stable consists of bantamweights up to welterweights, which is ideal for in-house sparring, but there’s also a man 100lbs heavier than all of them training in the ERT gym.

29-year-old heavyweight “Bomber” Boma Brown is unbeaten in five fights and relocated from London to Liverpool to be a part of the most exciting gym in the country.

“Boma is back out on December 6 in Liverpool,” Stevenson revealed. “It’s a routine outing; well, as much as any heavyweight can have a routine outing! We are looking to push on to title level next year.

“At the moment, the British heavyweight division is so strong, there’s not that a big gulf between that and world level. They’re talking about British champ Fabio Wardley getting a world title fight against Daniel Dubois.

“There are some good lads out there right now. You’ve got your top-level Brits, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois, but even the British level, like Wardley, is very talent-rich. Just below that, you have Solomon Dacres and David Adeleye, the division is rich in talent, just in Britan alone. It’s very good for Boma, but it’s also a very tough division to get through.

“I’ve trained heavyweights before, but I don’t train weights, I train individuals. My approach is to get the maximum out of them, so what they weigh doesn’t change that approach. Every man is different and is trained that way.

“Heavyweights can’t make any mistakes, we saw that with Frazer Clarke against Fabio Wardley. They can do some real physical bone-breaking damage. That injury to Clarke was one of the worst I’ve ever seen in recent years.

“Boma has a got long way to go, he’s got a big ladder to climb, but you put one foot in front of the other, that’s how you climb any mountain.”

LUCAS BISWANA

The newest recruit at the ERT is Lucas Biswana. The ABA champion won his pro debut in October 2024, with a shutout points win against experienced opponent Jakub Laskowski on Nick Ball’s maiden world title defence to Ronny Rios in the Liverpool Echo Arena.

“Lucas won the ABAs, with six wins, four knockouts – three in the first round. He will campaign at welterweight, he’s very powerful and he’s a quick learner.

“We’ve got an amateur gym and a pro gym, so when he’s come through to the pro side, it’s a massive eye opener for him.

“All our boxers work hard, but working for money and glory, and working alongside those pro champions, well, its blown Lucas away, but he’s really thriving on it. 

“He has come on a hell of a lot since turning pro and is a great addition to team. He’s very organised, everything is done to perfection with him. He is very professional in his approach. He has an old head on his shoulders, so switched on for a 20-year-old.