Ball edges past Ford to claim first world title

Three months after he believes he was wrongfully denied his first world title, Nick Ball captured the WBA world featherweight title with a split points win over Raymond Ford.

After a close and high-quality contest, which ebbed and flowed both ways, Ball was awarded a split decision after two judges saw it 115-113 to Ball and one to Ford by the same scoreline.

For Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs), 27, from Liverpool, England, winning his first world title eased his frustration and disappointment at being denied victory by a controversial draw versus Rey Vargas for the WBC title in March.

“I should be two-time champion, but I’m champ now so it doesn’t matter,” Ball said. “My style is all action and putting pressure on. I did that well and it paid off.”

Ford (15-1-1, 8 KOs), 25, from New Jersey, lost the title in his first defence since stopping Otabek Kholmatov with just seven seconds remaining in the final round in March.

Ford is now expected to move up a weight class to junior lightweight. “I thought I did enough, but it was a close fight, I should have listened to my corner a bit more, but the best man won,” Ford said. “For sure I will go up to 130 pounds now.”

At 5-foot-2, Ball was 5 inches smaller, but that did not stop him swarming all over the champion in the early rounds, and he landed a good right hook in the second round.

When Ford worked his jab, he was able to contain Ball, but the English fighter’s work rate was superior. Ball’s pressure was unrelenting in Round 4, and in Round 5 he threw some sweet combinations. Ball also landed a good uppercut in the fifth and Ford was largely outgunned in the first half of the fight.

Ford finally threatened in the seventh round when he shook Ball with a big left hand to the jaw, and the challenger took another hard left uppercut in Round 8.

Ford continued to look good in Round 9 with his movement and accuracy, and by the end, the American’s strong finish had closed the gap. In a tumultuous last round, Ford rocked Ball with a right on the counter and later with a left uppercut.

Hutchinson dominates Richards in UD win

Willy Hutchinson produced a career-best performance to unanimously outpoint Craig Richards at light heavyweight in the show’s opening fight.

Hutchinson (18-1, 13 KOs), 25, from Carstairs in Scotland, won by scores of 116-112, 117-111 and 119-109 after commanding most of the fight and then resisting a late rally from Richards.

Richards (18-4-1, 11 KOs), 34, who lost unanimous decisions to WBA world light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol in 2021, could not work out Hutchinson’s switch-hitting style.

“I’m young and ready to take over the world,” Hutchinson, who won the vacant, fringe WBC Silver light heavyweight title, said.

Richards, from south London, could not find any rhythm in the early rounds, and Hutchinson looked a lot sharper.

Hutchinson dictated behind his jab and seamlessly switched between stances, which left Richards outmaneuvered.

In the third round, Hutchinson landed a couple good right hands that rattled Richards as he continued to find his opponent easy to pin down. More right hands in the fifth round and a powerful left on the ropes in the eighth continued Hutchinson’s dominance.

Richards had brief moments of success in the seventh and eighth, but in the tenth produced his best round. In a thrilling exchange, Richards seemed on top until Hutchinson landed a flurry of punches that left the elder fighter on wobbly legs.

With Hutchinson tiring, Richards landed a good combination in Round 11, but Hutchinson was smarter in the final three minutes.