Raymond Ford will be making the move up to 130 lbs following Saturday’s featherweight title loss to Nick Ball.
Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed the plans on social media.
“You rolled the dice one more time at 126, I thought you did enough in a close, grueling fight,” Hearn said. “Always proud of you and excited to see you become a two-division champ. Onto 130 we go.”
The 25-year-old Ford (15-1-1, 8 KO) beat Otabek Kholmatov for the vacant WBA featherweight title on Mar. 2, and immediately talked about moving up in weight then, feeling the weight cut at 126 was getting to be too much.
But he returned to defend the belt three months later against the hard-charging Ball (20-0-1, 11 KO), losing a split decision in Riyadh. The offer to be on that show was just too good to pass up.
The current titleholders at 130 are O’Shaquie Foster, Lamont Roach Jr, Anthony Cacace, and Emanuel Navarrete.