The reigning WBC lightweight world champion has some firsthand knowledge of how ‘Savage’ Ford can be. The New Jersey products have shared rings together as sparring partners, sharpening each other’s sweet science skills.

“In recent years, I’ve been sparring him a lot,” Ford told DAZN News about his close bond with Stevenson.

“We’re real close. His family is like family to me. We both motivate each other.”

Ford (17-1-1, 8 KOs) hopes to show off the benefits of that ring work and knowledge Saturday night when he clashes with Abraham Nova at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and live on DAZN Pay-Per-View. A solid showing could put Ford in line for a super featherweight world title opportunity next, making his sessions with Stevenson all the more valuable.

Though their sparring has been on the uptick in recent years, the friendship between Stevenson and Ford dates back to well before the latter even turned pro in March 2019.

“Shakur has been like a brother to me since I was in the amateurs,” Ford divulged. “When he used to come to the Olympic training center, he would watch me spar and then he’d text me after. He would give me pointers, things I should work on.”

That only increased with their sparring sessions as the 28-year-old Stevenson, a Newark product, and 26-year-old Ford, from Camden, have leaned on each other to constantly level up in boxing.

Ford shares that with some egging on from Stevenson, who already made the move, he moved out to Houston, too.

“They’ve been trying to get me to come out here to Texas to get ready for my fights with them, but I just never wanted to go because I didn’t want to leave my coaches,” Ford said. “But eventually I ended up coming out here. I used to do my camps from out of his house. Eventually, I wound up moving out here.”

This year already, Ford and Stevenson have helped each other get ready for big fights with Stevenson assisting Ford toward his win over Thomas Mattice in April and Ford returning the favor for Stevenson’s victory over William Zepeda three months later.

Both New Jersey fighters are able to dictate the flow of their bouts behind a high ring IQ and crisp, snappy jab. While Stevenson uses the stick to masterfully keep opponents at bay, Ford uses the jab as an entry point to get inside and piece together stinging combinations.

Lessons learned will be on display when Ford fights Nova.

If anything, Stevenson declaring the former featherweight titleholder one of the best fighters in the world has jumpstarted Ford’s engine toward a brilliant showing against Nova and a world championship opportunity at super featherweight soon thereafter.

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