LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Last week at the USA Boxing National Junior Olympics and Summer Festival in Wichita, Kansas, 17-year-old Western Wayne High School student Olivia Ford maintained her status as the number one fighter in the nation by winning another national title in the 165-pound weight class.
“The night before the fight we went out to make weight and practiced for about two hours and it paid off,” Olivia said.
Ford defeated Houston's Chastie Scott by split decision in her first bout, then beat New Mexico's Tahliah Corbin in a five-match major.
“More specifically, I think the final was one of my best matches technically, and it was also my first time competing in a three-minute round in the preliminaries,” Olivia said again.
Sean McFadden and Bill Sabbatelli are Ford's co-trainers.
“She came every day, even when nobody else came. It got to the point where I couldn't turn her down to coach me anymore. And one of the first things I told her is I'm not going to watch you get hit, so you've got to focus on head movement and defense and footwork,” Sean said.
Part of Olivia’s training also involves outdoor training here in Madison Township, where she runs country roads, chops firewood and flips tires with the hopes of one day competing in the 2028 Olympics.
“From the first day I started going to the gym, I loved it and I've been going ever since,” Olivia said again.
Before the Cerberus Boxing Team competes in the second annual Women's Boxing National Championships in August in Lafayette, Louisiana, they will be holding a fundraiser called “Meatballs for Boxing!” on Sunday, July 14th from noon to 3pm at the Oliphant Regal Room.
“The first few weeks I met Olivia, it was crazy because everyone thought I was crazy. She had a bad look in her eye and I would always tell her about the dedication, the determination and the heart that she has. There are things that can be taught. You can't teach those three things but she has them all and you just know it. And I told her grandmother three years ago that this girl was going to be a champion and I think at first everyone thought I was crazy. But…
Sean reiterated, “I'm so happy we were able to achieve this.
