Ray Ford claims WBA featherweight title with dramatic 12th round stoppage

NEW DELHI: American boxer Ray Ford secured the vacant WBA featherweight world title with a thrilling last-minute stoppage of Uzbekistan's Otabek Kholmatov in a riveting showdown on Saturday.Entering the 12th and final round trailing on two of the scorecards, Ford unleashed a powerful right hook that rocked Kholmatov, leaving the Uzbek fighter staggering. With Ford relentlessly pummeling his opponent, the referee intervened, declaring Ford the winner by stoppage.Reflecting on his hard-fought victory, Ford, sporting a bloody eye from an accidental clash of heads, expressed his unwavering determination. "I always knew I had it in me," he stated, emphasizing his resilience despite facing adversity. "There's nothing that can stop me ever."Ford acknowledged Kholmatov's skills but asserted his confidence in his own abilities, particularly his inside game and sharp hooks. "I knew I had to dig down to his body and bring it sharp hooks up upstairs," he remarked, highlighting his strategy to secure the win.Kholmatov, who displayed dominance in the early rounds, struggled with a knee injury midway through the fight, allowing Ford to stage a comeback starting from the eighth round. Despite facing adversity, Ford remained relentless, ultimately sealing an emotional victory in the final round.Looking ahead, Ford revealed plans to potentially move up a division for his next fight, considering the challenges he faced with the weight drop for the title bout.In another thrilling encounter earlier in the event, Luis Alberto Lopez successfully defended his IBF featherweight title against Japan's Reiya Abe, securing an eighth-round stoppage. Despite Abe's resilience, Lopez's relentless barrage of power punches proved too much for his opponent, leading to the referee's intervention and an end to the contest.Lopez's victory extends his impressive record to 30-2, while Abe, in his first fight outside of Japan, suffered his fourth loss in 26 fights.(With inputs from AFP)