WBA featherweight champion Raymond Ford weighed in at 125.4 lbs, and challenger Nick Ball scaled in at 125.8 lbs for the weigh-in on Friday for this Saturday’s ‘5 vs. 5’ Queensberry vs. Matchroom occasion in Riyadh.
Ford (15-0-1, 8 KOs) and Ball (19-0-1, 11 KOs) began off trying, staring menacing at each other throughout the face-off, however neither of them might keep in character, and each began smiling and laughing earlier than turning away to face the media.
Will probably be an fascinating battle as a result of Ford is coming off a grueling contest towards Otabek Kholmatov final March in Verona, New York, and this one towards Ball could possibly be much more tough.
Ford seemed fairly drained right this moment from making weight, and we’ll see if it took one thing out of him on Saturday. The 25-year-old Ford had deliberate on transferring as much as 130 to make life simpler on himself, however he selected to remain at 126 for this battle towards the 5’2″ Ball, who seemed enormous on the weigh-in.
Promoter Eddie Hearn spoke about seeing Ball’s weight on the scales, and he says he was a “large lump.” The sooner weigh-in is the true weigh-in. After they come out for the media, it’s for ceremony functions. Ball can be fairly large on Saturday night time as properly. These two might seem like gentle welterweights by tomorrow night time.
Hearn’s Excessive Reward for Each Fighters
“You’ve bought Raymond Ford vs. Nick Ball, which, for me, it’s the highest two featherweights on the earth,” mentioned promoter Eddie Hearn to TNT Sports activities Boxing 5 vs. 5 Weigh in, Queensberry vs. Matchroom.
“Don’t overlook; I’m positive individuals are conscious that there’s an earlier, and that’s the ceremonial weigh-in. You get to see the numbers on the scales that the fellows are actually weighing, and Nick Ball is a giant lump. He’s rehydrated good and engaging. However Ray could be very, superb.”
Ford says he’ll battle whichever Ball chooses to. If that’s true, this could possibly be a close-quarters brawl as a result of that’s how Ball likes to battle. It’s questionable whether or not Ford can win that sort of a battle becasue he’s not a fantastic inside fighter like Ball.
“You’re speaking about Shakur and Devin. He’s from that very same sort of mildew, however Nick is a handful for anybody,” mentioned Hearn.
“Me having enjoyable in there. Me stepping into and dominating and taking on the entire battle from spherical one till at any time when it ends,” mentioned Raymond Ford.
In Ford’s final battle, he was dropping Kholmatov till pulling out a miracle twelfth-round knockout. He didn’t look good till scoring the knockout, and that was towards a fighter with an injured knee. If Kholmatov’s knee weren’t tousled, he would have received.
“Nah, I simply didn’t like their power, however tomorrow and all this different stuff, strolling about and appearing powerful and saying no matter they have been saying within the interviews, that isn’t going to matter,” mentioned Ford when requested if Ball has been getting underneath his pores and skin this week.
“What issues is tomorrow. That’s once we’re actually going to get into that. I’m comfortable,” mentioned Ford.
“I’m able to go now,” mentioned Nick Ball, who had little or no to say.
