Ramond Ford got the job done in Riyadh, beating Abraham Nova on the cards (96-94, 97-93, 97-93) on the Itauma–Whyte undercard. It was a routine night for the Camden southpaw: sharp, slick, too fast. And yet, the same old gripe — he never pushed for the finish. Fans want a statement, he gives them cruise control.
Ford had Nova worked out almost immediately. The left hand kept finding a home in the first couple of rounds, and a right hook in Round 2 left Nova stumbling to the ropes.
By the fifth, he opened a cut over Nova’s eye and was walking him down at will. At times Ford looked like he was sparring, picking shots and then switching off, which is fine if you’re just protecting your spot in line, but it won’t win over anyone paying for DAZN.
Ford Looked Levels Better, but Never Ruthless
Nova had a couple of bright spots. Round 3, he dug to the body and landed a clean uppercut. Round 8, he landed a right-left combo that actually shook Ford on the ropes. But let’s not dress it up — Nova was falling behind in most rounds. That tenth-round rally? More cosmetic than convincing.
Ford moves to 18-1-1, still sitting in line for an IBF shot at Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez. He’s got the talent, but fights like this make insiders roll their eyes. Too much coasting, not enough bite. If you’re serious about being elite, you don’t play it safe against a guy like Nova, you close the show.
As for Nova (24-4-1), this is the story now. Game, durable, and capable of making a fight look competitive, but he’s not breaking through. He’s becoming the guy promoters call when they need their prospect tested but not beaten.
