WBA featherweight champion Raymond Ford could possibly be in for a tricky time tonight towards the aggressive strain fighter Nick Ball of their 12-round struggle on the ‘5 vs. 5’ occasion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Raymond Ford’s Regarding Look at Weigh-In
Ford (15-0-1, 8 KOs) seemed like Skeletor final Friday on the weigh-in, showing educated and skeletal. He made the 130-lb weight for his struggle tonight towards Ball (19-0-1, 11 KOs).
The Camden, New Jersey native Ford seemed like demise warmed over on the weigh-in, and you possibly can inform that he’d put himself by the wringer to get right down to the featherweight restrict.
Ford didn’t appear like himself on the weigh-in, and you possibly can inform that he’s not going to be 100% for the struggle, given his look. It wouldn’t be as huge a deal if Ford weren’t preventing a strain fighter, however to go up towards a fighter like Ball, he shall be in for it tonight.
The 25-year-old Ford had wished to vacate his WBA 126-lb title and transfer up tremendous featherweight, however he was satisfied to remain within the division when the chance for the candy payday got here up for him to make his first and certain his solely protection of belt towards Ball.
Ball’s Relentless Stress May Show Decisive
“If you get to the sixth, seventh, and eighth spherical and Nick Ball remains to be in your face, I can see the same sort of struggle that occurred between Ball and [Rey] Vargas, the place Vargas will get off to a great begin. I can see Ford getting off to a great begin. Then I can see Nick Ball overwhelming him and will even cease him on this struggle,” mentioned analyst Chris Mannix to DAZN Boxing, speaking about tonight’s conflict between WBA featherweight champion Raymond Ford and Nick Ball.
With the burden wrestle that Ford had this week, he’ll possible be at his finest within the early rounds, however as Mannix factors out, he’s going to have main issues with Ball within the second half of the contents because of the strain that’s being placed on him. Ball is a handful, and he’s going to be mugging Ford all through the competition.
“I’ve questions that he’ll [Ford] be at his finest at this weight class any longer,” mentioned Mannix. “What worries me about this struggle for Raymond Ford. Nick Ball is all-pressure on a regular basis. You’ve got to be on it to maintain Nick Ball from overwhelming you with offense.”
Ford talked about this week that he wished to maneuver as much as 130 after his struggle final March, however he was supplied the prospect to struggle on the ‘5 vs. 5’ card, so he selected to remain at 126 one final time. He had a variety of hassle in his conflict towards Otabek Kholmatov and would have misplaced that struggle if not for the Uzbek fighter who suffered a knee harm.
Even then, Ford wanted a twelfth spherical extremely questionable knockout to win of their conflict on the East Coast in Verona, New York.
“I feel Raymond Ford has the talent set to do this, however I fear about his potential to do this at this weight,” mentioned Mannix. “We each know that Ray Ford just isn’t lengthy for featherweight. In actual fact, if this chance didn’t come up in Saudi Arabia, I feel Ray Ford’s subsequent struggle would come at 130 lbs. He has to kill himself to get right down to 126.
“In the previous few weeks, we’ve seen the hazards of a fighter staying at a weight for too lengthy,” mentioned Mannix.
