Raymond Ford was effortless in picking apart his most experienced foe to date.

The unbeaten southpaw from Camden, New Jersey methodically broke down a grizzled veteran in Namibia’s Sakaria Lukas closing the show in emphatic style. A perfectly timed right hook put Sakaria Lukas down and out at of round eight in their DAZN-aired featherweight bout Saturday evening from Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio.

Lukas sought to test the heart of the young Ford, to no avail. Ford allowed Lukas to come forward, walking him into a straight left hand. Lukas stumbled in moving backwards across the ring before running into referee James Easter, causing him to fall to the canvas. The sequence was ruled a knockdown, providing Ford with an early lead that he would never relinquish.

As often comes with his fights, Ford was dominant to the point of fighting at his desired pace and without fear of return fire. It wasn’t from a lack of trying from the 38-year-old Lukas, who was simply outgunned as he was soundly outboxed by the rising prospect a full fifteen years his junior.

Lukas enjoyed his best moments in round five, landing occasional power shots upstairs. Ford was unbothered by those moment, though alert enough to fight behind a tight defense and eventually pick up the pace in the ensuing rounds.

Lukas was hurt in round seven to the point of constantly clinching. He was eventually disciplined for holding and hitting, costing Lukas a point though inconsequential by that point as Ford was well in command.

The judges ultimately were not needed after Ford ended the fight in an instant. A clean right hook crashed home on Lukas’ chin, sending the eleven-year pro flat on his back. Easter immediately halted the contest, signaling for ringside medics to tend to Lukas. Ford delayed his celebration, taking a knee and observing before Lukas (25-2-1, 17KOs) eventually made it to his feet.  

The performance was brilliant by Ford, considering the stiff challenge Lukas presented in a ten-round draw with former 2012 Olympic Silver medalist and former title challenger Tugstsogt Nyambayar earlier this year.

Ford advances to 13-0-1 (7KOs) with the win, his third of a productive 2022 campaign that began with a scare in a narrow and disputed victory over Edward Vasquez. A more pronounced win came in his ten-round virtual shutout of unbeaten Richard Medina on June 25 in San Antonio, with Saturday’s victory by far the most impressive of his young career.

Headlining the show, Cleveland’s Montana Love (18-0-1, 9KOs) faces Australia’s Steve Spark (15-2, 14KOs) in a scheduled twelve-round bout.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox