Otabek Kholmatov-Raymond Ford: Early ESPN+ Results From Verona, New York

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A pair of featherweight title fights top a nine-fight ESPN+ show from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Unbeaten contenders Otabek Kholmatov (12-0, 11 knockouts) and Raymond ‘Savage’ Ford (14-0-1, 7 KOs) collide for the vacant WBA 126-pound title. The evening’s co-main event will see Mexicali’s Luis Alberto Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs)—The Ring’s No. 2-rated featherweight—will attempt the third defense of his IBF 126-pound title versus mandatory challenger Reiya Abe (25-3-1, 10 KOs), No. 8 at 126 by Ring who enters his first career title fight and in his U.S. debut.

UNDERCARD RESULTS

Rising middleweight Troy Isley provided the first stoppage of the night. The 2020 U.S. Olympian dropped Marcos Hernandez (16-7-2, 3 KOs) with a right hand, after which referee Mark Nelson picked up his count and halted the contest at 1:30 of the seventh round. Isley (12-0, 5 KOs), Alexandria, Virginia, went the distance in his previous five outings but delivered a fluid performance in his first fight under the dream tream headed by 2023 Ring Trainer of the Year Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre.

Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz (11-0, 3 KOs) remained perfect as a pro after an eight-round, unanimous decision victory over Puerto Rico’s Edwin Rodriguez (12-8-2, 5 KOs). Judges Don Ackerman (79-73),  John McKaie (80-72) and Tom Schreck (78-74) all ruled in favor of Diaz, a 20-year-old bantamweight now trained by McIntyre.

Rohan Polanco (12-0, 8 KOs) twice floored unbeaten Moroccan junior welterweight Tarik Zaina but had to settle for a dominant eight-round unanimous decision victory. Scores were 78-72, 79-71 and 79-71 for Polanco, who represented the Dominican Republic in the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Zaina (13-1-1, 8 KOs) was dropped midway through the seventh round, though it appeared to be more of a push. Polanco was far more emphatic with a right uppercut to score his second knockdown on the night with just 30 seconds to go in the bout. Zaina beat the count and made it to the bell but was dealt his first pro defeat in the process.

Nico Ali Walsh earned a win at the venue where his aunt, Laila Ali made her pro debut and fought three times in her Hall of Fame career. The grandson of the late, legendary Muhammad Ali went the distance in a six-round, unanimous decision over Charles Stanford (7-6, 4 KOs) in a bout fought at a 157-pound contracted limit. Scores were 60-54, 60-54 and 59-55 for Ali Walsh (10-1, 5 KOs), who is now trained by Ismael Salas.

Brandon Moore (14-0, 8 KOs), opened the show with an eight-round shutout of Helaman Olguin (9-7-1, 4 KOs), South Jordan, Utah.  Scores were 80-72 on all three scorecards for Moore in their one-sided heavyweight affair.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox

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