From outscoring Abraham Nova on a big card in Riyadh, Raymond Ford is enjoying some down time back in the US.
With media obligations in the rear-view mirror, and no fight on tap, Ford can take some downtime and live life as a civilian rather than as a fighter.
“I guess you could say that yeah, like it’s back to regular life now,” he told BoxingScene. “I ain't really gotta worry about being in the media eye and things like that, or the pressure and all that now. The fight is over, now I can settle down and relax and things like that.”
Ford decisioned Nova, who had replaced Anthony Cacace in the build-up to the fight after the Irishman picked up an injury, and was not happy with how he boxed against the stand-in opponent.
“I ain’t really like how I perform so I’m probably take like a little bit of time off. I ain’t gonna be out too long and I’m gonna get back in the gym and sharpen up my tools and continue to work on the things I need to work on,” he said.
“I won't really say it was anything that was bothering me [against Nova]. I just feel like it was Nova, it was just his style and it was kind of like he threw me off a little bit. I let him get his plan, it got into my head a little bit like as far as him roughing it up and making it ugly and making it sloppy and then him using his head and things like that. And me trying to get the ref to tell him about it and things like that and he [the referee] did not really say anything to him about it. I don’t know, it was just a lot of things like that.”
Regardless, it was a lesson. Ford is ranked No. 3 with the WBC, with the numbers 1 and 2 Mark Magsayo and Michael Magnesi set to meet later this year. The WBC champion is O’Shaquie Foster, while Ford is No. 4 with the WBA and IBF and No. 5 with the WBO.
There has been speculation about a Foster-Ford fight.
“Eddie Hearn was talking about New Year’s, trying to make a fight with [WBO champ] [Emanuel] Navarrete or whatever now, so I guess I’m gonna have to try to force my way with the WBC [to face Foster]. I think my manager [Brian Peters] was talking with the WBC and things like that my fight week so I think that's the route more than likely we’re gonna go.”
Ford won’t be drawn on who he thinks is the best at the weight, in part because the champions and leading contenders are not fighting one another.
“I feel like they get a belt and then they just okay with fighting mediocre fighters after that or fighting a mandatory once in a while, but these guys are not really fighting each other or trying to stamp who the best is, so it’s really hard to say,” he added.
It has become commonplace for fighters to use social media to goad one another rather than using the prize ring to settle any differences. That is something Ford has seen.
“It’s definitely infuriating, especially like with me and in my position because like I say I’m actually trying to get the world champions. Not even just the world champions, I want the world titles. Forget the world champions, it ain’t about the people, it’s about the belts so I feel like for me I’m trying to get the world titles and you got guys that’s on the internet talking and making things sound good and you got certain people that’s believing these guys that’s talking, but behind closed doors they’re not really trying to make fights happen that the people really want to see – or they’ll go find somebody in a lower weight class like, with somebody they feel like is an easier fight. They don’t really want to challenge themselves and become the best or stamp their name as the best.”
With that in mind, Ford is still only 27 but appreciates the career of a fighter is not a long one. That is one of the reasons why he is trying to maximize his minutes in the ring now.
“Exactly and I mean then the guys that I’m calling out, they’re older than me. O’Shaquie Foster, I think he’s like 31 or something like that so I feel like with him he’s trying to make as much money possible and then get out the sport or whatever, because I don’t think he really believes in himself how I believe in myself. I’m younger in the sport, I got more time so with me I got a different mentality from most fighters anyway. I don’t care who I fight. I’m gonna fight whoever to get to where I need to get to so I think it’s just a different mentality. That’s all.”
Former foe Nick Ball has the type of mentality Ford appreciates. He boxed on the same Ford-Nova bill, defeating Sam Goodman, and Ford said they spent some time together.
“Cool guy, though, I like Nick Ball, I like him as a fighter too,” said Ford. “I like his mentality. I think I’ve been said that even before me and him fought. I like how his mentality is.”
Ball has been active, and Ford would like to be out again this year but only really wants meaningful fights.
“It would be cool [fighting again in 2025] but to be honest, if it ain’t nobody that’s worthy or like that’s getting me to where I want to get to, I’ll just sit and wait until I get my opportunity – for not too long though. But if I get an opportunity like beginning of next year then I’ll wait until the beginning of next year instead of just taking all these meaningless fights.”
There remains the dream of boxing at home in Camden, too. That is something Ford has long said he has wanted to do. Two of his last four fights have been in Saudi Arabia, while the others have been closer to home in neighboring Philadelphia and an hour's drive away in Atlantic City. However, he is not sure whether the Camden dream is to become a reality.
“To be honest I don’t really know how close it is,” he said. “That’s really my promoter [Matchroom]’s job; to try to build me up in my hometown and things like that, so that’s really a question for him [Eddie Hearn]. But, of course, that’s always a dream of mine, to go home and basically perform in front of my loved ones and my Day One supporters who’ve been supporting me since day one. I definitely feel some type of way about not fighting at home but my two fights before the last one was kind of close to home so I appreciate that. I don’t feel bad about that. I’m happy that I’m actually finally able to start fighting closer to home so my people can drive to the arena and support me, because a lot of times they got me fighting in Texas or Arizona…far away from home where all my people can’t really fly out and take off work.”
And despite having already achieved success, Ford not only wants more, but he is frustrated at finding certain doors closed. He doesn’t feel as though the fights are getting any more substantial for him.
“I don't feel like they really getting bigger right now, I feel like I’m just being stagnant right now,” he said. “With my competition, I’ve been wanting the world champions. Hopefully we get one next. They’ve been trying to promote it or whatever, building up my fight, things like that and talking about me hopefully fighting a world champion but we really just gotta keep applying pressure on the people that matter, that can make these fights happen.”
