Not exactly a rousing endorsement when your next fight has just been announced, but former WBA featherweight champion Raymond Ford (17-1-1, 8 KOs) spoke freely when looking ahead.

In the six weeks since, he's had an opponent change before hearing of another potential future foe's surprise stoppage victory in Turkey (more on that later) as the 26-year-old seeks to make up for lost time in a weight class calling him long before losing his title on a split decision to Nick Ball.

Judge Dewey LaRosa ruined what would've otherwise been a perfect score across the board in Ford's two forays up at the 130-pound limit, giving 23-2 pro Orlando Gonzalez one round (99-89) during what proved another one-sided points win for the New Jersey southpaw in November.

Ford didn't put a foot wrong against Gonzalez, nor Thomas Mattice five months later, though his boxing style is more death by a thousand cuts than the all-action style Ball employs and perhaps played a factor in the scoring of their competitive clash 14 months ago.

Whether it was that, or a slow start, we'll never know. Nonetheless, as his promoter Eddie Hearn has consistently told The Ring since, that maiden professional loss has served as a blessing in disguise.

That proverbial lightning rod may have come four years earlier against Texas' Aaron Perez, but instead their eight-round bout was scored a split draw.

Two-division title challenger Edward Vazquez still harbours ill-feeling towards their 10-rounder the following February, a split decision loss which marked the 29-year-old's first career defeat.

Everyone knows about the dramatic 12th-round knockout win over Otabek Kholmatov to win the WBA strap 18 months ago, trailing 106-103 on two of the judges' scorecards at the time of the stoppage.

It secured Fight of The Year acclaim at The Ring awards in January, and while a timely reminder of the resiliency he prides himself on, would ideally prefer not needing to call upon it again.

Having revealed he doesn't intend to stay in the sport for too much longer, there's an eagerness to continue doing what got him to this position: fighting the best.

The prospect of fighting an in-form Anthony Cacace, even without the IBF title he vacated to pursue more lucrative opportunities, wasn't a worry. Instead, he wanted a younger and arguably more dangerous proposition in Nunez and has been continually vocal about making that in-house matchup between two Matchroom stablemates.

WBC beltholder O'Shaquie Foster was also on the list and is why he's channelling that energy against a former foe of the champion in Abraham Nova (24-3-1, 17 KOs) in two weeks' time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, live on DAZN. Emanuel Navarrete's invincibility cloak may have worn off in recent times, but the WBO champion also features on the wishlist.

Jazza Dickens (36-5, 15 KOs) went from being the B-side in a Zelfa Barrett return on Matchroom's Jack Catterall-Arnold Barboza undercard to headlining an IBA event in Turkey four-and-a-half months later. He didn't just serve as one-half of the main event, but used his veteran savvy to outfox and bamboozle unbeaten Olympic champion Albert Batyrgaziev into a fourth-round knockout win.

Dickens now holds the WBA's interim title, with reigning titleholder Lamont Roach Jr (25-1-2, 10 KOs) awaiting news on a proposed Gervonta Davis rematch and likely to stick around at lightweight after exceeding expectations during their March 1 matchup. Not so long ago, Dickens was calling Ford's name in hopes of agreeing terms to fight. Now, the Liverpudlian has some newfound leverage.

Ford knows that staying idle on the sidelines, waiting for promises and good faith agreements to blossom isn't helpful. Having taken himself away from home comforts and the distractions they can bring, he's happily showing a more disciplined, team-oriented side to him in YouTube fight camp vlogs alongside WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson and others in their Houston training base.

While it's understandable he didn't want to go back to the scene of his lone loss, a standout showing on a card with plenty of vested interest across all weight divisions would do him the world of good.

Navarrete's ordered rematch with Charly Suarez and Foster-Fulton are awaiting dates. Cacace (back) is sidelined indefinitely, road warrior Nunez returns to Mexico on Sept. 6 while Roach is in a holding pattern between divisions and Dickens — who like Foster, was offered this fight — deemed it too short-notice.

Ford has the chance to be the division's pacesetter at a time where, as rising contender rather than reigning champion struggling to make weight, everyone acknowledges how dangerous he is.