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Fight Recap: Raymond Ford Shows Camden Courage, Wins WBA Featherweight Title
Raymond Ford of Camden, New Jersey (15-0-1, 8 KOs) was behind on two of three cards going into the 12th and final round of his tough fight against Otabek Kholmatov of Uzbekistan (12-1, 11 KOs) for the vacant WBA featherweight title. He was only one point ahead on the third card.
Ford, who had a tough weight cut and had been out of the ring a year, said he knew it would all come down to the final round. He dug down and rocked Kholmatov in the final minute of the fight with power shots, forcing referee Charlie Fitch to step in at 2:53, giving Ford the victory and his first world title.
Referee Charlie Fitch stops the title fight in favor of Raymond Ford at 2:53 of the 12th round. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
Asked after the fight how it felt hearing the three best words in boxing – And The New – Ford admitted, “Honestly, I didn’t even hear him say it. I’m so in the moment, this is a blessing bro.”
Ford Behind Early, But Rallies To Win
Otabek Kholmatov landed significantly more punches through eight rounds than Raymond Ford. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
Kholmatov won the early rounds, the busier fighter going to the body. He was well ahead midway through the fight. But Ford and his corner never lost confidence in themselves. He said he felt Kholmatov’s power shots and said to himself, ‘I said, that’s all you got?’
“In my head, I knew I had a better inside game than him. I knew I had to dig down to his body and bring hooks upstairs. That’s my money punch, I knew I could get him out with one of those.”
Ford said trainer Anthony Rodriguez told him “bring that dog out. We had to dig deep. My whole time in the corner, I said to myself, I’m going to stop him.”
Raymond Ford said he knew he started slow and answered trainer Anthony Rodriguez's call to “bring out the dog.” Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
In the eighth round, Ford landed the first visible hard shot, wobbling Kholmatov. The momentum swung to Ford as he hurt Kholmatov with a series of left hands, breaking Kholmatov down with his heavier shots and pressure.
Ford, who hasn’t got a reputation as a power puncher, is a boxer who can brawl when he needs to, and he needed to summon that power. He landed the uppercut and hooks when he needed them, backing Kholmatov up and outworking him in the second half of the fight. He was willing to work in the pocket as Kholmatov lost momentum.
After another good round in the tenth, trainer Rodriguez told Ford, “You gotta create the opportunities inside the ring! You gotta believe in yourself! You with me? Come on, baby! We need every minute, every second of the last two rounds.”
Raymond Ford: ‘I had to bring out the dog'
Raymond Ford, trainer Anthony Rodriguez, and his team fall to the canvas to celebrate his victory Saturday. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
“He was weakening. I knew I had to,” said Ford. “The rounds were too close. I had to bring out the dog, I knew I had it in me. There’s nothing that can stop me, ever.”
Ford hurt Kholmatov halfway through the final round with a big left hand, and Kholmatov fell to the canvas, ruled a slip by Fitch. But seconds later, Ford unleashed his power shots, and the championship was his.
Kholmatov was reported en route to a local hospital after the fight to be examined for a torn ACL. At press time, it was reported that Kholmatov may have reinjured his left knee and fought with the injury from the second round of the fight.
This news in no way takes away from Ford’s well-deserved victory. He said it was unlikely he would defend the title and plans to move to the 130-pound division. “I’m still signed with Matchroom (Boxing). We got Joe Cordina over there, that’s a good fight we can make. O’Shaquie Foster, that’s my guy. Lamont Roach, I can go up there and compete with anybody,” said Ford. Fans will look forward to seeing whoever Ford faces next.
Lopez Defends Title In TKO8 Over Abe
Luis Alberto Lopez successfully defended his WBA World Featherweight title and said he'd be willing to move up to 130 pounds to challenge the winner of Valdez vs. Wilson. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
Luis Alberto Lopez of Mexicali, Mexico (29-2, 16 KOs) caught Reiya Abe of Japan (25-3-1, 10 KOs) in the first round of his IBF featherweight title defense with a left hand, immediately causing Abe’s right eye to swell. Abe wasn’t going to give up his first chance to win a title and carried on despite severe swelling to the eye. But it wasn’t as competitive a fight as fans hoped for.
Reiya Abe kept coming out round after round until referee Mark Nelson stopped the fight. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
Referee Mark Nelson warned Abe’s corner after the fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds he wanted the fight stopped. Each time, Abe and his corner talked themselves into another round and another. Abe stood his ground and made the best effort he could, landing several shots on Lopez, including a straight left, but the punches weren’t hurting the champion.
Lopez continued to toy with Abe, pouring it on. Nelson warned Abe before the eighth to defend himself and hovered as Lopez played to the crowd and unleashed a dozen punches. That was enough for Nelson to call it. “Viva Mexicali!” shouted Lopez.
Luis Alberto Lopez celebrates his successful title defense over Reiya Abe. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
“I came out to finish that fight in the eighth round. I looked over to see my wife, my daughter, my father, and my mother, and this was the moment to end this fight,” said Lopez. “I have nothing but respect for my opponent tonight. He fought with a closed eye since the second round. We know Japanese fighters have a lot of heart, but I have a lot of heart and a lot of desire to remain a world champion.”
Lopez said he wants to unify at 126 pounds but said he would be willing to move up to 130 pounds to take on the winner of the Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson fight on March 29 in Glendale, Arizona.
Undercard Winners: Diaz, Mills, Isley, Polanco, Moore
Brian Norman Jr. of Atlanta (25-0, 19 KOs) was dropped by Janelson Bocachica of Detroit (17-2-1, 11 KOs) in the first round of their WBO International welterweight fight. But an accidental headbutt in the second round caused a vicious cut to Bocachica’s scalp. He was allowed to continue after a delay for the ringside physician to look him over. But the blood loss was too significant, and the fight ended in a no-decision/technical draw after three rounds. Norman Jr. dodged a bullet.
Floyd Diaz had a solid decision win over Edwin Rodriguez in eight rounds. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz of Las Vegas (11-0, 4 KOs) has a new trainer in Brian “Bomac” McIntyre, and the change has done him good. Diaz got a solid decision over Edwin Rodriguez of Puerto Rico (12-8-2, 5 KOs). Scores were 80-72, 79-73, and 78-74. Diaz showed more pop and focus in the fight. There were some early doubts as Diaz was so late to the arena, his fight was pushed back on the schedule. He was fined for it.
Bryce Mills and Gerffred Ngayot thrilled their upstate New York fans with an action fight. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
Junior welterweights Bryce Mills of Syracuse (15-1, 5 KOs) and Gerffred Ngayot of Buffalo (6-2, 5 KOs) gave their local fans an all-action fight, with Mills getting the better of a tough Ngayot in a regional rivalry. Mills wins by scores of 60-54 twice and 58-56.
Troy Isley had his best performance as a pro with his TKO win over Marcos Hernandez. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
Troy Isley of Washington DC (12-0, 5 KOs) looked solid, scoring a seventh-round TKO win over Marcos Hernandez of Fresno (16-7-2, 3 KOs). The 2020 US Olympian delivered power-punching uppercuts and hooks as he dominated Hernandez, but it was a straight right off a jab that caught Hernandez for the winner.
Rohan Polanco remained undefeated with a decision over Tarik Zaina. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
Rohan Polanco of the Dominican Republic (12-0, 7 KOs) got the decision over Tarik Zaina of Morocco (13-2-1, 8 KOs) in their eight-round junior welterweight fight. Scores were 79-71, 79-71, and 78-72.
Nico Ali Walsh got his tenth professional victory over Charles Stanford. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
After a trainer change to Ismael Salas, middleweight Nico Ali Walsh of Las Vegas (10-1, 5 KOs) gets a six-round victory over Charles Stanford of Cincinnati (7-6, 4 KOs). Scores were 60-54 twice and 59-54. Walsh had a cheering section with rapper Flavor Flav joining his family ringside.
Heavyweight prospect Brandon Moore and Helamin Olguin went the distance in the opening bout. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
Heavyweight Brandon Moore of Lakeland, Florida (14-0, 8 KOs) gets the shutout on all three cards in an eight-round decision win over Helamin Olguin of Salt Lake City, Utah (9-7-1, 4 KOs).
At age 92, Top Rank Promoter Bob Arum is always in his seat from the opening fight, joined Saturday by Troy Isley and Bruce Carrington. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing
