GUYANESE legend Patrick Ford received his last defeat in professional boxing on May 30, 1982. Ford was challenging American Isidro Perez at the Aladdin in Las Vegas when he injured his hand and was forced to retire in round three, of a fight scheduled for 10. It was the fourth consecutive loss for Ford. The first came against Mexican Salvador Sanchez in September 1980. After losing to Perez, Ford took a three-year hiatus from the sport and returned in April 1985. The lanky featherweight TKOed Alejandro Garcia of the Dominican Republic in round four, at the National Sports Hall in his return bout.
Ford followed up with a 10-round points-win over Dennis Dalrymple in March 1986 and then brought the curtain down on a rewarding career with a unanimous-decision victory over Albert Brown in May 1987. Ford then launched into coaching and plied his trade out of the Gleason’s Gym in New York.
The former Commonwealth featherweight champion died on November 13, 2011 at the age of 55.