If you ask Raymond Ford who the best fighter at 130 pounds is, he’ll pause before giving you a bemused look.

He may not have a world title, but the 26-year-old Ford is convinced that when it comes to just pure skills, he’s one of one. Still, no matter how good he believes he is, the moment his time at 130 pounds runs out and he's forced to move up, fans will see him reach another level.

“I think 135 will be my best weight class. I think that’s when I will be at my best,” Ford told The Ring. “I won’t have to cut as much weight, and the level of competition up there would force me to raise my game. The better the competition, the better I perform.”

The lightweight division is something Ford (18-1-1, 8 KOs) is keeping an eye on, but when it comes to the here and now, he wants to get his hands on a few of the current junior lightweight champions.

The likes of O’Shaquie Foster, the WBC titleholder, Emmanuel Navarrete, who holds the WBO strap, and Eduardo Nunez, the division's IBF champion, are at the top of his hit list.

It’s unclear when Ford will get his shot at a junior lightweight world title.

Since moving up in weight, the Camden, New Jersey native racked up three consecutive victories. His latest came at the expense of Abraham Nova, who Ford beat by unanimous decision August 16 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Ring’s No. 9-ranked junior lightweight is enjoying the extra wiggle room since he left the featherweight division behind following a split decision loss to Nick Ball in June of 2024. Regardless of his physical improvement, the former WBA featherweight champ believes he’ll feel like a brand-new man when he infiltrates 135.

“I know I’m gonna feel great when I get to 135,” Ford continued. “But that’s more so down the line. Like I know I’ll be up at that weight class eventually, but for now, making 130 isn’t so bad. It isn’t easy, but it’s not killing me to make the weight like it was at 126. So, for now, I’m here at 130. I still have work to do here.”