One judge scored the fight even at 114-114, while the other two favored Foster by scores of 118-110 and 116-112.

The fight got off to a dramatic start when Foster came forward aggressively and sent Ford through the ropes late in the opening round. No point was deducted, but the sequence immediately gave the bout a different feel and energized the crowd.

Ford settled down in the second round and began finding success with his speed and counter punching. The southpaw challenger landed clean left hands, mixed in body shots, and repeatedly made Foster pay when the champion overcommitted.

Several of the early rounds were closely contested. Foster pressed forward behind combinations and right hands, while Ford relied on timing and accuracy to answer back. Neither fighter was able to establish complete control during the first half of the contest.

The fight began to tilt in Foster’s favor during the middle rounds. The champion increased his output, landed more consistently with combination punching, and did a good job stepping into range behind his jab. Ford continued to have moments, but Foster’s activity and pressure started producing more visible results.

Rounds seven through nine proved especially important. Foster maintained control of the pace and forced Ford to fight at a higher tempo. The challenger remained dangerous with counters, but Foster generally landed the cleaner work during those rounds.

Ford rallied in the tenth, producing one of his better rounds of the second half. He attacked the body, pushed Foster backward at times, and showed the determination that helped him become a world champion earlier in his career.

The championship rounds remained competitive, but Foster finished strong enough to secure the decision after 12 rounds.

With the victory, Foster improved to 25-3 and retained the WBC belt. Afterward, he spoke about pursuing bigger opportunities, including possible unification fights and other major names in the division.

Ford fell short on the scorecards but delivered a solid performance throughout the contest. The former featherweight titleholder had success in several rounds and remained a threat from start to finish, though Foster’s consistency over the second half of the fight ultimately proved decisive.