Raymond Ford vs Abraham Nova Preview August 16th, 2025
Former WBA Featherweight Champion Raymond Ford of Camden, New Jersey is back in the ring this Saturday, August 16th when he takes on Abraham Nova of Puerto Rico. The 12-round junior lightweight fight from Saudi Arabia can be seen live in most nations on DAZN pay-per-view. Ford won his featherweight belt in March, 2024 with a dramatic last round TKO over Otabek Kholmatov with just seven seconds to go in the fight while trailing on two of the three scorecards 106-103. However, he lost the title in his first defence when he dropped a controversial split decision to Nick Ball in June of last year. He rebounded from that setback with 10-round unanimous shutout decisions over Orlando Gonzalez and Thomas Mattice in November and this May. Nova last saw action in May when he stopped German Ivan Meraz after three rounds.
Ford vs Nova Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Abraham Nova +700
- Raymond Ford -1250
My Pick
Ford is a 26-year-old southpaw who owns a fine record of 17-1-1 with 8 Ko’s. He turned pro back in 2019 and has 133 rounds of experience to his name. Ford enjoyed a fine amateur career which saw him win the 2018 U.S. National Golden Gloves Championships and take silver at the 2017 and 2018 National Championships. Since turning pro he’s beaten every opponent other than Ball and Aaron Perez, who went the distance with him in an eight-round draw in 2021.
Ford won the vacant WBA Continental Featherweight Title in 2021 when he stopped Reece Bellotti in the third round and added the vacant IBF North American Featherweight Belt with a 10-round unanimous decision over Richard Medina in June, 2022. He stands 5-feet-7-inches tall with a 69-inch reach and carries average power in his punches as 47.1 per cent of his wins have come by knockout, including just two of his last seven victories. He also has wins over former world champion Jessie Magdaleno and Edward Vazquez.
Nova, who fights out of New York state, is 31 years of age and makes the ring walk with a mark of 24-3-1 with 17 Ko’s and has boxed 147 rounds since making his pro debut in 2016. He had an extensive amateur career where he faced the likes of Jamaine Ortiz, Gary Antuanne Russell, Richardson Hitchins, Frank Martin, Jaron Ennis and Gary Antonio Russell. He reportedly began boxing at the age of 12 and went 167-11 with 60 Ko’s as an amateur and won the 2014 USA National Championships Finals and reached the final of the 2016 New England Golden Gloves where he lost to Jamaine Ortiz.
As a pro, Nova’s first defeat came at the hands of Robeisy Ramirez by fifth-round stoppage in a shot at the vacant IBF USBA, and WBO Global Featherweight Titles in 2022. He later dropped two decisions in a row as O’Shaquie Foster edged him by split decision in February, 2024 in a shot at the WBC Super Lightweight Title after he was dropped in the last round. Andres Cortes then beat him via a 10-round unanimous decision four months later in an attempt at the WBO NABO Super Lightweight Belt. Nova measures 5-feet-9-inches tall with a 72-inch reach for a two-inch height advantage on Ford and a three-inch edge in reach.
Nova managed to capture the NABA Super Featherweight Belt in 2018 with a 12-round unanimous decision over Sulaiman Seagawa and also has wins over Jonathan Romero, Luis Castillo Leal, Pedro Navarrete, Avery Sparrow, William Encarnacion and Adam Lopez. His lone draw was a 10-round affair with Humberto Galindo last November. As far as power goes, he packs a pretty good punch as 70.8 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage but has stopped just two of his last seven opponents and is 3-3-1 in that stretch.
Prediction…
Ford is five years younger than Nova but gives up height, reach and power. However he has better overall boxing skills and still possesses enough power to do some damage. Nova is quite durable with heavy hands so always has a legitimate shot at victory. However I believe Ford’s IQ and skill will be enough to see him triumph this weekend but it could very well go the distance.
Ford should prevail due to his superior boxing skills.
Play: Ford -1250 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Abraham Nova betting • Raymond Ford betting