Otabek Khormatov believes he is the best fighter at 126 pounds, claiming that no one can match his talent, skill set, and power.
Khormatov is set to face Raymond Ford at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York, in a 12-round bout following the IBF featherweight title fight between Luis Lopez and Reiya Abe. The fights will be streamed live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
At the weigh-in, Khormatov weighed 125.8 pounds compared to Ford’s 125.9 pounds. Khormatov, who hails from Uzbekistan and now resides in Hollywood, Florida, holds a record of 12-0 with 11 KOs.
The upcoming bout between Khormatov and Ford features two undefeated fighters who have shown impressive performances in their recent fights.
Ford, with a record of 14-0-1 and 7 KOs from Camden, New Jersey, secured a dominant win against Jesse Magdaleno and Sakaria Lucas in his previous fights. Though Ford is seen as slightly behind, Khormatov is confident in his ability to outmatch Ford with his superior power.
Expressing his motivation for the fight, Khormatov stated, “This is my first world title fight, so I’m more motivated than ever. I believe that very soon we will be fighting for a unified and undisputed championship.” He also added, “Ford doesn’t have the power, so he won’t survive the later rounds.”
Khormatov’s victories have brought him into the spotlight, leading to a co-promotional deal with Top Rank, the promoter for Saturday’s event.
Khormatov aims to establish himself among the elite fighters at 126 pounds with a significant win over Ford, potentially opening doors to face other top featherweights in the division.
With aspirations to become a four-division champion, Khormatov remains determined to face the best fighters in his division, conveying his readiness to take on any champion who dares to challenge him.
