Raymond Ford returned to winning ways with a composed unanimous decision victory over Abraham Nova in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, further solidifying his status as a contender in the super featherweight division.

The Camden, New Jersey southpaw, now 18-1-1 (8 KOs), was tested across 10 competitive rounds but ultimately claimed the verdict on all three scorecards by margins of 96-94, 97-93, and 97-93. For Ford, this win marks his third straight success since suffering a setback against Britain’s Nick Ball in the high-profile Matchroom vs Queensberry 5v5 event.

Nova, stepping in as a late replacement for Ireland’s Anthony Cacace, entered the bout with a respectable 24-4-1 (17 KOs) record and brought intensity from the opening bell. The Puerto Rican landed two sharp right hands at the close of the first round, signalling his intent to push Ford into uncomfortable exchanges.

But Ford’s slick footwork, rapid counters, and southpaw angles quickly took control. Donning orange trunks that paid homage to Turki Alalshikh’s call for more action-packed encounters, Ford showcased crisp combinations — including a lead right hook and left uppercut to the body that forced Nova onto the defensive in the early sessions.

Though Nova pressed forward, often looking for fight-ending shots, Ford’s tighter defence and sharper timing consistently kept him one step ahead. The sixth round highlighted the difference in class, with Ford landing a clean double-hook combination that left Nova momentarily disorganized.

Still, Nova refused to wilt. He rallied in the middle and late rounds, pressing Ford to the ropes and trying to turn the fight into a brawl. Ford, however, remained calm under fire, slipping punches and countering with precision. By the final round, Ford was ducking under big right hands and answering with clean hooks, sealing a decision that reflected his sharper work across the contest.

Although Ford admitted afterwards that he wasn’t fully satisfied with his showing, the victory keeps him firmly in the title picture at 130 pounds. The 26-year-old has his sights set on WBC champion O’Shaquie Foster but has also stated his willingness to face any belt holder in the division.

Nova, despite the loss, proved durable and game, though his inability to consistently adapt left him chasing the contest. For Ford, this was less about style points and more about securing momentum as he pushes toward reclaiming championship status in a stacked super featherweight class.

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Liverpool’s Nick Ball tore through twelve punishing rounds to dethrone Raymond Ford and capture the WBA featherweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 1 June 2024. In a contest billed as a perfect clash of styles—Ball’s perpetual march versus Ford’s nimble craft—the challenger’s determination ultimately outweighed the champion’s early accuracy, earning Ball a split-decision triumph with totals of 115–113 (twice) and 113–115.

Much was made beforehand of Ball once again conceding height and reach, just as he had against Ray Vargas earlier in the spring. His draw with Vargas had shown that, despite being the shorter man, he possessed a knack for unsettling taller opponents through intensity alone. That same approach would prove decisive here.

From the opening bell Ball pressed forward, compact and coiled, refusing to give Ford any peace. Ford tried to manage the distance with quick counters, sharp straight shots and brisk footwork, but Ball’s bursts—often delivered in clusters of three, four or more—forced the American to work far harder than he wished.

Ford enjoyed bright spells in the first third of the bout, finding space to dart in body shots and well-timed left hands. Yet Ball’s tempo never dipped. His crouched stance made him an elusive target for clean returns, and his uppercuts from close proximity repeatedly split Ford’s guard. By the fourth and fifth, the champion found himself under heavier fire, marked around both eyes and spending too long trading rather than dictating.

Ball’s corner urged him to maintain the ferocity, and he did, turning the middle rounds into his most productive spell. He harried Ford to the ropes, chopped at the torso, and unsettled the rhythm Ford needed to box at his preferred pace. Ford responded bravely, landing a superb sweeping hook in the seventh that bloodied Ball’s nose and appeared to shift the momentum. For a brief moment the American looked poised for a resurgence.

But Ball, as ever, refused to yield. Rather than retreat, he advanced through the crisis, welcoming the exchanges and smothering Ford before the champion could capitalise on his success. Although Ford produced some eye-catching uppercuts in the eighth and ninth, Ball’s sheer volume and physical insistence kept eroding the champion’s control. Ford’s movements became more conservative, his footwork gradually less reactive, and the challenger sensed it.

The championship rounds featured enthralling back-and-forth turns, but Ball remained the busier man, pinning Ford repeatedly with looping hooks and surging bursts. When the final bell sounded, both fighters bore clear signs of the evening’s brutality, but it was Ball who had imposed his identity on the match.

After twelve relentless rounds, the judges confirmed what many observers suspected: the belt had changed hands. Nick Ball had realised his world title dream, while Raymond Ford, valiant but overwhelmed, relinquished his crown only months after winning it.

In the end, the verdict reflected the story of the contest: in a hard, unforgiving championship fight, Nick Ball simply forced more of the action than Raymond Ford.

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VERONA, NY — In a battle that delivered every bit of drama a championship bout should, Raymond Ford snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a jaw-dropping stoppage of Otabek Kholmatov with just seven seconds left in the 12th and final round, capturing the vacant WBA featherweight crown in what is now hailed as the Ring Magazine’s 2024 Fight of the Year.

Fighting under the bright lights of the Turning Stone Resort & Casino, the two young warriors put on a display that reminded boxing purists why the featherweight division has long been revered for its blend of speed, grit, and fireworks. Ford, the rising American southpaw, entered as a promising contender. Kholmatov, the undefeated Uzbek powerhouse, was the betting favourite and started the fight like one.

From the opening bell, Kholmatov used sharp timing and slick footwork to dictate the pace. He found success early with his left hand, peppering Ford with clean counters while gliding around the ring. By the mid rounds, Kholmatov appeared to be pulling ahead, his offense flowing freely and his movement seemingly too much for Ford to overcome.

But championship fights are won in the deep waters — and that’s exactly where Ford thrived.

After falling behind on the scorecards and absorbing punishing shots, Ford began to shift the momentum with relentless pressure and a granite chin. Kholmatov, though still dangerous, began to show signs of wear. Unknown to many at the time, the Uzbek had torn his ACL during the fight — a brutal injury that would have stopped most men in their tracks.

Still, he battled on.

In the championship rounds, Ford turned up the heat. A cut under Ford’s eye threatened to derail his night, but the Camden native answered with a ferocity that had the Verona crowd roaring. Then came the 12th. With the clock ticking down, Ford unleashed a final flurry — an uppercut followed by a barrage that drove Kholmatov to the ropes. With the Uzbek barely standing, the referee waved it off at 2:53, sealing a sensational TKO victory.

Ford’s heroic comeback not only earned him his first world title but also secured his place in American boxing history as Matchroom USA’s first world champion. With whispers of a move to 130 pounds, the future looks bright for the undefeated 24-year-old.

Boxing fans won’t soon forget this one — a true classic that proved once again, it’s never over until the final bell.

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