(Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank)

RAY FORD

Final-round stoppages, especially in competitive fights, are special for the simple fact that we don’t see them often. Sudden endings in the final moment or seconds of the last round are more dramatic because they’re even less commonplace. How rare is it when the winner is behind on points in a title bout? Those exceptional battles occupy a very small island. 

Three such bouts earned The Ring’s Fight of the Year award – Jake LaMotta’s 15th-round KO of Laurent Dauthuille in defense of the middleweight championship in 1950; Julio Cesar Chavez’s controversial 12th-round stoppage of Meldrick Taylor, which unified the WBC and IBF 140-pound titles in 1990; and Leigh Wood’s 12th-round KO of Michael Conlan in defense of his WBA featherweight title in 2022.

Other come-from-behind title-bout KOs include Jeff Harding’s 12th-round stoppage of Dennis Andries in 1989, which earned the rugged Aussie the WBC light heavyweight strap, and, more recently, Carl Froch’s 12th-round stoppage of Jermain Taylor in defense of his WBC super middleweight belt in 2009. All thrillers that won’t be forgotten by those who witnessed the bouts. 

And now we can add Raymond Ford’s 12th-round stoppage of Otabek Kholmatov to that short list of classics. The hotly contested battle for the vacant WBA featherweight title between unbeaten southpaws took place on March 2 at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York. 

Verona is just a 30-minute drive from Canastota, home of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and the fighters enshrined there would nod their heads in appreciation of Ford’s grit and determination, especially Dwight Muhammad Qawi, the former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champ who hails from Ford’s hometown of Camden, New Jersey.

To force the stoppage just seven seconds before the final bell, Ford (15-0-1, 8 KOs) had to dig deep and apply the kind of technical-but-ruthless pressure that earned Qawi his famous “Camden Buzzsaw” moniker.

Ford trailed by three points on two of the official scorecards going into Round 12. The 25-year-old technician had to go through hell to earn his victory over Kholmatov (12-1, 11 KOs), a rangy 25-year-old puncher from Uzbekistan who winged hard punches in bunches, often from odd angles.

Ford was outworked and roughed up in the early rounds but found success in Round 5 when he stepped forward behind his jab and sharp one-two combinations. He added uppercuts and body shots to his offensive mix in Rounds 6 and 7, forcing Kholmatov to give ground.

(Photo by Mikey Williams/ Top Rank)

However, Kholmatov had the ability to punch back while on the move, and the Florida-based Uzbekistani welcomed periodic exchanges, which he often edged with looping body-head combinations.

Kholmatov was in a fight, but he remained ahead on the scorecards. However, a flaw in his technique and ring mentality was revealed when a stiff jab from Ford knocked him off balance in Round 8. Kholmatov turned his back to Ford as he retreated to avoid follow-up punches. Kholmatov was merely stunned and only momentarily wobbled, but the decision to get on his bike rather than slip punches or grab-and-hold to neutralize Ford would ultimately cost him the fight. 

Kholmatov was back in it by the end of the eighth and gradually mounted a late-rounds rally as he returned to outworking Ford, who continued to land eye-catching single shots, but he looked worse for wear after an accidental headbutt opened a large gash under his left eye.

Kholmatov heaped punishment on Ford in Round 11, but the gutsy New Jerseyite committed to powering forward in the final round, which forced Kholmatov to make a choice he may regret for the rest of his career.

(Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank)

A compact right hook rocked Kholmatov with 32 seconds left in Round 12. He tried to retreat on trippy toes, falling into the ropes, which bounced him into Ford, who instinctively tossed him to the canvas. Referee Charlie Fitch did not rule it a knockdown (correctly so), but with 16 seconds left in the bout, Kholmatov faced an onslaught from Ford as soon as he got to his unsteady feet.  

Kholmatov once again turned his back as he retreated, off-balance, with Ford landing clean, hard shots in pursuit. As Kholmatov crashed into the ropes with his back to Ford, Fitch, who remained close to the fighters, waved the fight off. 

Fans on Boxing X momentarily lost their minds in excitement but eventually calmed down enough to fantasize about how Ford now fits into the 126-pound mix. 

He’s got options, not only at featherweight but at junior lightweight, where he believes he’s headed (sooner rather than later because of his struggle to make 126 for the Kholmatov fight). Ford is promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, but his title-shot opportunity took place on a Top Rank card. Top Rank, who would welcome Ford back, promotes IBF featherweight titleholder Luis Alberto Lopez (who defended his belt and No. 1 position in The Ring’s rankings against Reiya Abe in the co-featured bout on March 2). Hearn promotes IBF junior lightweight titleholder Joe Cordina, who Ford mentioned during his post-fight interview. 

“I come from a rough background,” said Ford. “I can go up there and compete with anybody.”

Doug Fischer is Editor-in-Chief of The Ring Magazine. Email him at [email protected]. 

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