The upcoming featherweight title fight between WBA champion Raymond Ford and challenger Nick Ball is generating a lot of buzz, and for good reason. Not only is it a showdown between two undefeated fighters, but it’s also part of the highly anticipated Matchroom Boxing vs Queensberry Promotions event that will take place in Saudi Arabia on June 1.
Ford (15-0-1, 8 KOs) is coming off the biggest win of his career, where he scored a thrilling last-second knockout of previously unbeaten Otabek Kholmatov to capture the WBA featherweight title. The New Jersey native was losing on the scorecards before pulling off the come-back victory.
Meanwhile, Ball (19-0-1, 11 KOs) looks to bounce back after being held in a controversial draw against Rey Vargas in March in his bid to win the WBC featherweight belt. The aggressive British fighter controlled most of the action against Vargas and was visibly upset with the verdict.
Now Ball aims to take out his frustration on Ford and seize the WBA title. This battle of undefeated rising stars has a lot at stake, not only for the fighters but also for rival promoters looking for bragging rights.
When and Where?
Saturday, June 1, 2:00 pm ET at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Ring walks time:
TBA
Moneyline odds:
Raymond Ford 1.638
Nick Ball 2.308
Where can I watch it?
DAZNÂ and TNT Sports
Why Bet on Raymond Ford?
Raymond Ford thrillingly won his WBA featherweight title in his last fight, scoring a late stoppage of previously unbeaten Otobek Kholmatov.
Ford was trailing on all three judges’ scorecards going into the final round when he suddenly hurt Kholmatov with a left hook. Sensing his opponent was in trouble, he pushed Kholmatov to the ropes and unloaded a barrage of power punches. With just seven seconds remaining in the fight, the referee stepped in to stop the contest, awarding him a dramatic technical knockout victory.
It was a stunning turn of events, as Raymond appeared to be headed for a decision loss before pulling the victory out of nowhere in the final seconds. The rally of punches not only kept him undefeated record intact at 15-0-1 but also earned him his first world title in the process.
Ford showed his heart and determination by continuing to push for the knockout despite being behind on the cards. His perseverance paid off with the biggest win of his career in an improbable fashion.
Why Bet on Nick Ball?
Nick Ball enters this fight after a controversial draw against Rey Vargas in March 2024 in a WBC featherweight title fight. He was aggressive and felt he did enough to deserve the win, but the judges scored the fight a draw, allowing Vargas to retain his belt.
Many observers in the ring felt that Ball had outworked Vargas and connected with the most effective punches during the 12-round fight. He was able to consistently get in his rival shop and land shots to the body and head.
For the later rounds, Vargas looked battered and tired, with swelling under both eyes. Ball appeared to be the fresher fighter down the stretch. When the final bell rang, he raised his arms in victory, believing he had done more than enough to take the title from Vargas.
However, the judges saw it differently and scored the bout a draw, leaving Ball bitterly disappointed. He believed his career performance was enough to achieve his dream of becoming a world champion. Instead, he had to settle for retaining his number-one contender position.
The controversial draw lit a fire under Ball heading into this title fight against Ford. After coming so close last time, he is determined to leave no doubt and make sure the judges don’t take this opportunity away from him again.
Final Betting Analysis: Raymond Ford vs. Nick Ball
Raymond Ford is fresh off his thrilling world title victory over undefeated Otabek Kholmatov. Meanwhile, Ball’s only blemish came against the wily Rey Vargas when he had to settle for a draw. While the former managed an impressive KO comeback in his last fight, he was losing on the cards up to that point.
With Ford’s slick boxing skills and Ball’s aggressive, fan-friendly style, this has all the makings of a must-see action fight. There are still a lot of unknowns heading into this showdown, which adds to the intrigue. However, we’re sticking with a win for Raymond by TKO towards the 10th round.
EN 
ES 
PT 
PT_BR