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 wanting, staring menacing at each other throughout the face-off, however neither of them may keep in character, and each began smiling and laughing earlier than turning away to face the media.
It is going to be an fascinating battle as a result of Ford is coming off a grueling contest in opposition to Otabek Kholmatov final March in Verona, New York, and this one in opposition to Ball may very well be much more tough.
Ford appeared fairly drained at present 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 in opposition to the 5’2″ Ball, who appeared big on the weigh-in.
Promoter Eddie Hearn spoke about seeing Ball’s weight on the scales, and he says he was a “massive lump.” The sooner weigh-in is the true weigh-in. Once they come out for the media, it’s for ceremony functions. Ball will likely be fairly massive on Saturday night time as properly. These two may appear like gentle welterweights by tomorrow night time.
Hearn’s Excessive Reward for Each Fighters
“You’ve received Raymond Ford vs. Nick Ball, which, for me, it’s the highest two featherweights on the planet,” stated promoter Eddie Hearn to TNT Sports activities Boxing 5 vs. 5 Weigh in, Queensberry vs. Matchroom.
“Don’t overlook; I’m positive persons 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 blokes are actually weighing, and Nick Ball is a giant lump. He’s rehydrated good and engaging. However Ray may be very, superb.”
Ford says he’ll battle whichever Ball chooses to. If that’s true, this may very well 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 form of a battle becasue he’s not an incredible inside fighter like Ball.
“You’re speaking about Shakur and Devin. He’s from that very same form of mould, however Nick is a handful for anybody,” stated Hearn.
“Me having enjoyable in there. Me getting into and dominating and taking on the entire battle from spherical one till every time it ends,” stated Raymond Ford.
In Ford’s final battle, he was shedding Kholmatov till pulling out a miracle twelfth-round knockout. He didn’t look good till scoring the knockout, and that was in opposition to a fighter with an injured knee. If Kholmatov’s knee weren’t tousled, he would have gained.
“Nah, I simply didn’t like their vitality, however tomorrow and all this different stuff, strolling about and appearing robust and saying no matter they had been saying within the interviews, that isn’t going to matter,” stated Ford when requested if Ball has been getting below his pores and skin this week.
“What issues is tomorrow. That’s once we’re actually going to get into that. I’m completely satisfied,” stated Ford.
“I’m able to go now,” stated Nick Ball, who had little or no to say.
