Al Ford

Al Ford (born August 13, 1950) is a former lightweight professional boxer from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Professional Boxing Career

Ford made his debut as a professional boxer on October 20, 1967 (shortly after his seventeenth birthday), a 3rd round knockout win over Joe Hogue, who was also making his professional debut. [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=40735&cat=boxer] Ford fought an opponent with a winning record for the first time in his fifth fight, defeating 4-0 Mickey McMillan by split decision after eight rounds. [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=40735&cat=boxer] Ford would win his first 37 fights, picking up the vacant Canadian lightweight title with a win against 9-1 Julie Mandell and successful defending it several times. [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=40735&cat=boxer] Ford's first truly notable win was a 10 round decision against 30-3-1 Raul Montoya on October 27, 1970. [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=40735&cat=boxer] The first loss of Ford's professional boxing career came against 24-22-5 Percy Hayles in Kingston, Jamaica in a contest for the Commonwealth (British Empire) lightweight title. Hayles outboxed Ford in a 15 rounder to take the decision. [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=40735&cat=boxer] Ford would continue to fight, winning his next four bouts before back-to-back loses to Ken Buchanan (points) and Alfonso Frazer (knockout). [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=40735&cat=boxer] Later Ford would lose a rematch with Percy Hayles by TKO and would finally lose his Canadian lightweight title to Johnny Summerhays in November of 1975. [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=40735&cat=boxer] Ford was still winning more often than he was losing, but he lost to most of his notable opponents, including to 15-4 Ralph Racine, to 15-0 Rick Folstad in 1978, and to 17-0 Aaron Pryor in 1979. [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=40735&cat=boxer] Ford also fought Nick Furlano of Toronto for the Canadian junior welterweight title in 1979, losing by 14th round knockout. [http://www.canadianboxing.com/profiles_content.htm] Near the end losses became more frequent, but Ford's impressive record continued to get him paydays. He would lose again to Summerhays in 1980 and dropped a decision to 17-0 Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini in 1981. [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=40735&cat=boxer] After losing six of his last seven fights, capped by a brutal decision loss to future prospect Michael Olajide on June 17, 1982, Ford finally retired with a final record of 55-19 with 19 wins coming by knockout. [http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=40735&cat=boxer]

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