Former WBA featherweight champion Raymond Ford returns to the ring this Saturday, April 12 against Thomas Mattice. The historic Boardwalk Hall in New Jersey will host the event, headlined by the welterweight unification between Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis. The show will be broadcast live on the DAZN platform.
Here are my Ford vs Mattice predictions ahead of this featherweight fight.
Raymond Ford vs Thomas Mattice Odds
Ford is a whopping 1/16 to get his second consecutive post-Nick Ball win. Mattice is your underdog at 7/1. A draw can be backed at 16/1.
Raymond Ford vs Thomas Mattice Fight Preview
British fans will know Ford best from the split decision he dropped to Liverpool’s Nick Ball in Riyadh last summer. That close-fought battle saw Ford lose his WBA featherweight title and his unbeaten record. UK fans might remember it, but it is a night that ‘Savage’ likely wants to forget.
That fight might not have happened five years ago. Before the Saudi influence in boxing made marquee match-ups a common sight, a then-25-year-old undefeated world champion might have waited a bit longer before engaging a challenger of Ball’s dogged qualities. But it is far better to applaud rather than lament a young fighter taking on one of the best men in his division.
Ford’s career is alive and well despite that close defeat. There is life after your ‘0’ goes and Ford is already back to winning ways. The southpaw notched a unanimous decision over fringe contender Orlando Gonzalez in November to end a difficult year on a high.
Mattice fits into a similar bracket as Gonzalez. Ford is not yet returning to face world-beaters and champions. Instead, the slickster from Camden, New Jersey is sharpening his tools against solid-if-unspectacular opposition.
Mattice is thoroughly decent. He survived an onslaught from Isaac Cruz and gave it back in an absorbing fight back in 2020. Cruz went on to become world champion last year, which puts that narrow majority decision defeat into focus when assessing Mattice’s skills.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
‘Gunna Man’ dropped a technical decision after six rounds last time out, after former world title challenger Eduardo Hernandez suffered a cut due to an accidental clash of heads. Mattice has been in with some big names, but the majority of his wins have come against gatekeeper types like Cesar Juarez and Eduardo Reis.
Ford has been victorious against far superior fighters. He earned his title shot with a unanimous decision over former world champion Jessie Magdaleno. Then Ford snatched the big one with a huge TKO over Otabek Kholmatov to clinch the WBA title. The knockout came with seven seconds remaining and Ford down on the scorecards. It was an incredible end to a modern classic fight.
The fact Ford faced Ball just three months later was a minor miracle. Perhaps he should have taken longer to recover from the Kholmatov war. But regrets are an unhelpful fallacy. Ford can take his experiences in that rough-and-tumble Ball fight and become a better fighter.
That journey continues on Saturday night opposite Mattice. This fight should be a fine exhibition of everything Ford is good at. A big win in this fight will put Ford close to a chance at becoming a two-time world champion. When that day comes, I feel like ‘Savage’ will seize it with both gloved fists.
Raymond Ford vs Thomas Mattice Full Card
Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis
Raymond Ford vs. Thomas Mattice
Omari Jones vs. William Jackson
Arturo Popoca vs. Christian Carto
Shakhram Giyasov vs. Franco Maximiliano Ocampo
Raymond Ford vs Thomas Mattice Prediction
Ford has this fight well in hand. Mattice can handle himself and is good defensively. Ford might have to go on the front foot to take the initiative. But I reckon he can find a way through in a tactical fight.
My pick is Ford to win via decision at 1/2.
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