Thrilling Featherweight Title Fight: Liverpool’s Ball Defeats Ford in Split Decision
In a captivating showdown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night, Liverpool’s Nick Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) became the new featherweight world champion, defeating Raymond Ford (15-1-1, 8 KOs) of Camden, New Jersey via split decision in an action-packed contest.
Ball, who had previously settled for a draw in his bid for the WBC belt, was determined to secure the title this time around. The squat, aggressive Englishman came out strong in the opening rounds, pressuring Ford and landing combinations. However, the American challenger was unfazed, using his reach to counter Ball’s advances with shots to the body and head.
As the fight progressed, Ball’s relentless pressure began to take its toll on Ford. The Liverpudlian seized the initiative in rounds four through six, overwhelming Ford with his volume of punches. A pair of fierce left hands from the southpaw Ball caused a bloody nose for the American, temporarily derailing his challenge.
“But Ford refused to go down without a fight, landing a powerful left uppercut in the eighth round that momentarily stunned Ball.”
The final third of the contest saw both men trading blows with increased frequency, as their high guards began to drop due to fatigue and punishment. Entering the final round, the momentum appeared to be with Ford, who had staked a claim to the center of the ring and was taking the initiative with his punches. However, Ball dug deep and refused to yield, landing his own uppercut and forcing the fight to the scorecards.
In a close and contested affair, the judges ultimately awarded the split decision victory to Ball, with scores of 115-113 in his favor. The new champion declared his intention to unify the belts at 126 pounds, while the defeated Ford announced he would be moving up to the super featherweight division.
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