Aussie's plucky title hunt undone in Riyadh thriller
The Australian (20-1) was beaten for the first time on Sunday (AEST), after moving up a division in an attempt to snatch the WBA featherweight belt.
All three judges favoured Ball's power over Goodman's ring craft - scores were 117-111, 118-110, 115-113 - in an eyebrow-raising margin that didn't reflect the even nature of the fight.
Ball, England's only current male boxing world champion, improved to 23-0-1 with the win in the support to Moses Itauma and Dillian Whyte's heavyweight headline act in Riyadh.
The 26-year-old Australian has moved up from super bantamweight - a difference of about three kilograms - chasing an unlikely, overdue title shot.
After spending two years as mandatory, Goodman was scheduled to meet Japanese pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue in a Tokyo title fight last year.
A bad cut above his eye in sparring delayed it and when the cut reopened Goodman was forced to withdraw, and give up the $1 million payday.
A 10-month layoff was required before he beat Cesar Vaca in May and then jumped at the chance to move up and challenge Ball.
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